RetroDimension Neptunia
by Trackten369
Summary: Since Neptune's rough journey through their adventure, later reignited when a new tension grew upon them. With Neptune and her friends warped to an unknown world that bares similarity of their home. Find out as she and her friends ventured through the world to learn the secrets of the world and to meet the forgotten figures.
1. Prologue

**Author Notes****: **This is my first fan-fiction I have ever shown publicly, so may expect any distracting writing style or repetitions around. A review of it that would regard to its story or its writing would be much appreciated nonetheless.

* * *

_Chapter 1: Prologue_

Gamindustri, a mystical world with wonders and fortunes, lies hidden beyond the endless sea—an empty blue void that expands in many directions, covered by thick fog. It is the only continent that resides in the midst of such desolation. Solid landmasses, both small and big, are scattered apart from each other, yet they still stand as a single land, like a family of rocks.

It is no wonder that this world is so unique, compared to many other worlds. It is the home of the Goddesses that oversee the balance of nature, between civilizations and the monsters and beasts that roam every corner of the land. It is also the home of humanity, where they live and thrive in a land full of resources, where they expand and are eventually shaped into who they are today. It is a world where humans and monsters, chaos and destruction converge. It was supposed to be a hostile world, where innocents could not live in peace, until the birth of the Goddesses tames the world into its present state.

The Goddesses that oversee the lands are called the Console Patron Unit, or CPU. They grant their people protection from beasts and evildoers who are willing to harm anyone for their own selfish greed, as well as fortune and blessing. They are the divine saviors of humanity that have ended the chaotic times, allowing their people to thrive in this beautiful world, and legends of their deeds are delivered from generation to generation…

The faith of their people gives the Goddesses a source of power called Shares, which expands their own strength and capabilities. As the faith of their people grow stronger, the Goddesses also gain more strength, and help their people achieve greater prosperity. But once people have lost faith in their Goddesses, the amount of Shares will grow thin, and their Goddesses become weaker and weaker, until it was not enough to sustain their existence.

As time passes by, the continent is eventually split into pieces during the Console War—a war between the many Goddesses who wished to be the sole ruler of Gamindustri. The continent has split into four lands geopolitically; each lands were ruled by a different CPU. Since then, the four lands have come to define the continent they reside on…

_**Planeptune**_, a nation in the western region of Gamindustri. Home of the CPU Purple Heart, it is a nation that is blessed with futuristic and advanced technology that bestows great benefits upon its people.

_**Lastation**_, a nation in the eastern region of Gamindustri. Unlike Planeptune, Lastation was built on the foundation of an industrialized lifestyle, with numerous factories and businesses spread throughout the nation. The great productivity also comes with the unfortunate side effect of dirtier air, compared to Planeptune. It is the home of the CPU Black Heart.

_**Lowee**_, a nation showered with continuous snowfall in the northern region of Gamindustri. Located deep inside the mountainous region, its architecture was fantastical and mysterious, painted in many diverse shades of colours, giving it the appearance of a mystical fairytale kingdom. It is the home of the CPU White Heart.

And finally...

_**Leanbox**_, a nation in the southern region of Gamindustri, separated from the mainland by a narrow strait. Along with its modern-futuristic technology, Leanbox is a highly militaristic nation, with the largest army in the land. Despite their advanced military and technology, they still manage to preserve their greenery, and create a clean, flourishing environment. It is the home of the CPU Green Heart.

These are all the nations within Gamindustri, the lands that has prospered under the CPUs. The war has ended long ago, but the rivalry between CPUs continues on, though in a much more friendly way than before...

Even after peace is accomplished, monsters continue to ravage the lands and the people. It is up to the CPUs to protect their people from the rampaging monsters and criminals that work in the shadows.

Apart from that, Gamindustri also have a lot of unique and cool stuff, spread throughout the world! Are you going to encounter your new best friend, or your new archnemesis? It isn't always going to be a harsh place for everyone—it just has some ups and downs, and that's all.

And if you noticed there's something off in these writings, then Voila! It's composed by your favourite protagonist, Neptune!

Hi there, my fellow readers! You may know me from those games you're playing, but if not, then how rude of me! Guess it's time for me to properly introduce myself to you.

My name is Neptune, the CPU of my home nation, Planeptune, and the main protagonist of the Hyperdimension Neptunia series! You may know me as the girl with a parka dress and two D-pads as my hairclips; I mean it shouldn't be that hard for you to recognize, right? I'm not sure about you, but I hope you can keep up with my energetic attitude. Look on the bright side! At least you're not as dorky as I am, which I don't like to be described as...

"A-Anyway, let's just put away the narration and put on the quotation marks, shall we?"

"Well then, welcome to the world of Gamindustri!" Neptune greeted her imaginary audiences with an open arm. "If you're a big fan of video games, just like me, then you're a lucky guy! Gamindustri is a place for you to stay!"

"In this world, there are a lot of cool things you can see, especially references of games, consoles, companies, et cetera. Even the monsters around here would be familiar to you!"

"There are also amazing people around here that you can be friends with, in fact, I have some friends whom I do want you to meet! They are great, no…super best friends!" Neptune winked.

"Now, I wish I could show you more, but…there's someone who's not in the mood to wait, and I-"

"Neptune!" Someone shouted her name angrily. "Are you breaking the 4th wall again?"

"Uh, of course not, Histy!" Neptune sweatdropped, "Why would I be?"

A small fairy, sitting on her hovering book, peeked through the doorway to check on the purple-haired girl. Her expression was one full of disappointment, as she floated closer, and started lecturing the troublesome CPU.

"If not, then you wouldn't be talking to yourself, like a delusional girl." The fairy facepalmed. "And do I have to tell you again? You-"

"Yeah yeah, I need to do my job as a CPU, I get it." Neptune cut her off. "Can the paperwork wait? I don't feel like doing them right now."

"Neptune, this is not the time to joke around!" Histoire glared at her. "It is very important for a CPU to take responsibility for her job, and you should know..."

"Awww come on!" Neptune whined. "It's not like I'll suddenly become a hardworking CPU or something!"

"Hmph!" Histoire puffed, with her arms crossed. "If that's the case, then taking away your puddings should give you some motivation."

"Nepu-?!" Neptune stared at her in surprise. "W-Wait! You can't do that! You're an Oracle! An Oracle shouldn't boss their Goddess around!"

"Why not?" The fairy girl scoffed, "It is also the Oracle's job to look after the CPU, isn't it?"

"Uhh.." The lazy Goddess was at a loss of words.

"I-I mean, you can do the paperworks, right?" She eventually stuttered out a response, sweating heavily.

"Neptune.." Histoire shot her a look of sheer annoyance. "It has gone on long enough. Time for you to do your job like a proper CPU. Or else there will be no puddings for you."

"Come on~! Please don't do that!" Neptune begged as she kneeled in front of Histoire, shaking the fairy's tome like mad, "Anything but the puddings!"

"W-Wait! Stop shaking my tome!" Histoire screeched, getting dizzy from all the shaking.

"Oh goodness!" A girl with long lilac hair exclaimed, as she entered the room, "What are you doing, sis?!"

Neptune, hearing the familiar voice, let go of the dizzy fairy and leaped toward the girl in excitement, giving her a big hug, with a smile on her face.

"Ah! Nepgear, my cute-sy little sister!" Neptune smiled, while the girl was still stunned, caught by complete surprise. "You don't mind helping out your ol' sister here, do you?"

"Neptune, don't even try to drag your sister into this mess."

"Uhh...I don't know, sis..." Nepgear stuttered. "Maybe Histoire is right. You do need to take your job seriously."

"Nepu-?!" Neptune did not expect this response, and cried out in surprise. "Why?! Betrayal! How could you do this to your own dear sis!"

"Come on, Neptune." Histoire sighed. "Let it go. We don't have time for this..."

"I don't wanna~!" Neptune pouted like a baby, in her typical lazy fashion.

"How about this, sis?" Nepgear, suddenly coming up with an idea, turned towards her sister and Histoire, who was carefully listening to her.

"If you do your job, maybe I can reward you with more cups of pudding? I heard that there's a cafe that sells special puddings, more delicious than the ones we have here."

"Really?!" Neptune perked up, eager to hear about the savory puddings. Histoire looked on, intrigued, and frankly, quite impressed by Nepgear's tactics.

"But only if you finish all the paperworks, sis." Nepgear raised a finger in the air.

"We have a deal!" Neptune immediately nodded, and blindly rushed towards the working room, lured by the sweet promise of delicious puddings, "You better have the puddings ready, once I'm done!"

"Got it!" Nepgear shouted, before turning back and heaving a deep, deep sigh. Finally, she managed to convince the lazy Goddess to perform her duty.

"Thank you, Nepgear." Histoire nodded in gratitude. "But are you really able to buy all the puddings she wants?"

"Don't worry, Histoire." Nepgear smiled. "I still have plenty of time to reach the cafe, before it closes."

"That's a relief..." Histoire sighed, before suddenly remembering something.

"Wait...Where have you been, Nepgear? Have you been out with IF and Compa?" She asked the lilac haired Candidate, curious about her day.

"Yeah." Nepgear nodded. "There has been trouble going on in Virtua Forest, and IF asked me if I could come and help them out. The situation has been dealt with now, Histoire."

"I see." Histoire replied. "And how are they right now?"

"They're fine. Still, IF gets some bruises from fighting bunch of Doggos, and Compa should be taking care of her."

"Well, it's a relief that you, IF, and Compa have dealt with the situation." Histoire sighed, still not quite relieved of her worries.

"Don't worry about it, Histoire!" Nepgear shook her head. "It's perfectly safe, and IF only has a little scratch after the fight. It shouldn't be much of a concern."

"Perhaps you're right." Histoire finally let go of the matter, noticing the strain that her own stressful day had put on her. "It seems like I need to cool down again, thanks to Neptune's shenanigans..."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of your paperwork for you." Nepgear happily reminded the book fairy. "Have a nice rest!"

"Thank you, Nepgear." Histoire yawned as she floated into her room. "I'll pick up where you left off, once I'm back."

Now that the lazy Goddess had finally started working, and the book fairy was fast asleep, only Nepgear was left inside the room. Unfazed by the loneliness, she walked towards the window, right as cold droplets of water tapped on the sturdy glass.

It was starting to rain outside, and she saw dark, thick clouds gathering in the sky, which was quickly split apart by an arc of white, hot lightning.

"Oh goodness!" Nepgear exclaimed, with a worried look on her face. "I hope they managed to get home in time.."

* * *

\- City of Planeptune, Planeptune

"Damn it!" A girl in an oversized blue coat complained. "We can't possibly get back home in time. It's gonna rain soon, and we would get ourselves drenched!"

"There's a cafe over there. We should stop there, for now." Another girl in a tan-white wool sweater suggested.

Fortunately, the rain started falling right after the girls managed to get inside the cafe. Now freed from the danger of being soaked, the girls had no choice but to sit down inside the shop, as they waited for the rain to end.

"I could've brought my umbrella while we were together with Gear, fighting the monsters, Compa..." the girl said to her friend.

"Well we did prepare for the monsters, but we didn't prepare for the rain, Iffy. Hehe..." Compa let out a light-hearted chuckle. "I wonder if Ge-Ge managed to get home before it starts raining..."

"She's a CPU Candidate, you know." IF nodded. "She's probably already at home, right now."

"Ah, that's great!" Compa smiled before she realized something, and turned towards IF. "Oh! By the way, does your bruise still hurt?"

Now that Compa had brought it up, IF removed her coat, handing the clothes to Compa before glancing at her right side, where the bruise was located. The bruise seemed small, but the pain was still there.

"It felt kinda painful, but for the most part, I'm okay." IF clarified. "Of all the monsters, I still can't believe I got hit by a doggo."

"You could've been more careful, so this doesn't happen!" Compa sighed, a little exasperated at the brunette's recklessness. "Let me get my bandages ready.."

"Alright then." IF sighed as she leaned back in her seat, wincing in slight discomfort from the bruise.

"Isn't this the new cafe that recently opened up in Planeptune?" She commented, as she glanced around the shop.

"Huh? Oh yeah." Compa looked slightly dazed. Then, realizing what IF meant, she gave her a thumbs-up, and flipped open the menu on the table. "They even sell puddings here. Maybe we should buy some for Nep-Nep?"

"Ugh.." IF grumbled. "You know how much credits Nep still owns me, for buying puddings with my account?"

"Don't worry!" Compa chuckled. "I have some spare credits on me!"

"Well, you're really a genuine friend, I'll give you that..." IF sighed. "Now, can you look at my bruise first, before buying the puddings?"

"Okie dokie!" Compa happily responded, as she held up the bandages she grabbed from her purse.

* * *

_\- Some time later.._

After applying the bandage to IF's bruise and buying a bag of puddings, they were still sitting inside the cafe, as the rain had not stopped yet. Though Compa was perfectly happy with the wait, IF was quickly losing her patience.

"How long is this rain going to last?" IF groaned, annoyed.

"Come on, Iffy.." Compa gave her an awkward smile. "At least try to bear with it for awhile? If you're bored, they have a TV in here."

"I'm not bored." IF replied. "It's just-"

Out of nowhere, Compa's phone rang, and she whipped her phone out of her pocket. Probably something important.

"Oh, it's my coworkers at the hospital! I'll be right back, Iffy."

"Alright." IF nonchalantely responded, digging her spoon into the extra cup of pudding that Compa bought for her.

During her wait for Compa, IF looked out of the window in her boredom, seeing multiple vehicles driving past, together with pedestrians holding up their umbrellas, walking on the wet concrete pavement.

The sky was now covered in dark clouds, without a single bit of sunlight in sight. It was somewhat scary, yet calmful and serene at the same time. Almost relaxing.

"I wonder what's up with Nep and Gear?" IF wondered, as she continued to watch the vehicles driving by.

A single vehicle suddenly caught her attention, amongst the myriad of cars flooding the road. It looked so different...no...out of touch, compared to the design of every vehicle in modern Planeptune.

The black vehicle came to a halt, on the other side of the street. She could not see the driver, since all of its windows were tinted black. Her curiosity piqued, IF was soon standing near the gate of the cafe, trying to get a better view of the mysterious vehicle.

"What kind of car is that?" IF muttered to herself. "I've never seen a car like that, in my whole life..."

"Woah, dude!" Someone shouted out, behind her back. "Look at that bad boy!"

"Is that the Chavy 1971 Impala?" Another stranger responded, looking quite impressed. "Whoever that driver is, they must be one hell of a treasure hunter."

"You know that car, sir?" IF asked the stranger.

"Yeah, that ride right there? It is like an old, beautiful jewel, lying at the bottom of the deep sea. Ain't seeing any good ol' rides like that since, well, maybe a few centuries ago?" the stranger answered.

"Heard these stories from my great ancestors...that kind of car used to be so common around here. Generations had gone by, old cars died out, got replaced by new cars, yet somehow that car survived, surfing around, just like in the good ol' days..."

'Wow...' IF was amazed by the stranger's story. 'No wonder it looked so different, it's a car from the past! But…I'm not sure if something sinister is going on, behind those windows. Maybe it's really just some random guy, driving one of the oldest cars in Gamindustri...'

While she was lost in her thoughts, the engine of the 1971 Impala suddenly let out a roar, as the car sped away immediately, leaving nothing but a trail of burnt track marks behind.

IF immediately ran out of the shop, just as the vehicle disappeared in her view. Her suspicion was even stronger now, because of this unforeseen move, while the two strangers just looked disappointed.

"Awww!" The stranger whined. "I could've taken a photo of it, with my phone! That ride is too rare to ignore!"

"Well, here goes the ride..." His companion sighed. "Wonder if we can see more old, classical cars like that, making a return in the future?"

"Why did it leave, though? The driver didn't even get out of the car..." IF pondered, trying to come up with a possible reason for the car's strange behavior, but to no avail.

"Iffy? Where are you?" Compa called out to her, with her purse in hand, as she picked up the bag of pudding. "I'm sorry if the call gets a little too long."

"No, it's alright, Compa." IF replied, shaking her head as she looked up at the sky. The dark clouds were starting to disappear.

"Looks like the rain is about to stop. Let's wait for a few more minutes."

* * *

_\- Alleyway, Planeptune_

In a wet, dirty alleyway, littered with trash and discarded cardboard boxes, a girl in gray hoodie and a rat-like monster were hiding inside a large cardboard box. Being dirt-poor and having no other places to go, this was their only shelter from the rain.

"I can't believe it's still raining, at this hour!" the girl complained in frustration. "Oh, and you can't even make enough profit in a hotel, Warechu!"

"Hey! It's not my fault that there are too many cops patrolling around, chu!" The rat-like monster, Warechu, retorted. "I couldn't sell enough bootleg copies because I was busy running away from those chumps, Linda!"

"Ugh!" The girl, Linda, grumbled. "Whatever! This day really can't get any worse, can it..."

The duo could barely fit into the tight space of the cardboard box, but just having a shelter from the rain was lucky enough for them. A radio started broadcasting from the window above, and Linda, having overheard the faint sound, started listening carefully, while her friend remained oblivious.

"Apart from the weather alert in Planeptune, all citizens should be on the lookout for a speeding vehicle that was last seen in District. 21st of Planeptune city. It is a black vehicle, with all windows tinted black. The driver remains unidentified."

"Its exact model is unknown, but according to a car enthusiast interviewed by the police, it is a 2-door convertible, a very old and rare model first produced centuries ago, worth hundreds of million to billions of credits to any car collectors..."

"Heh." Linda frowned. "It's not even that far from here. Wonder if we can get lucky?"

"Huh? What are you talking about, chu?"

"Didn't you listen to the radio?"

"About the driver, chu?"

"No, I'm talking about the car." She grinned. "Imagine if you caught that car. what would you do?"

"Take it to the police for some quick credits, chu?"

"No, you idiot!" Linda groaned, unsatisfied with his answer, "They say that ride is a rare, centuries-old car. We can sell it for an auction to attract the richest people in Gamindustri, then we'll become millionaires… no… billionaires!"

She raised her fists high up into the air, as high as her hopes and dreams.

"Aren't you being too full of yourself?" The rat-like monster pointed out, which earned him a look of sheer annoyance from the girl. "Besides, it's not like the car is going to appear right in front of us, chu."

"Why you little-!"

As Linda is about to grab Warechu with her bare hands, an ominous grumbling noise echoed through the alleyway. Even the puddles of water around the cardboard box started to vibrate, and the strange roaring only grew louder and louder.

"Did you hear that..?" Linda asked.

"Hear what...?"

Out of nowhere, a vehicle suddenly appeared in front of them, drifting through the alleyway on a straight, clean line. Streaks of light from its headlights shot right into their eyes, leaving them temporarily blinded.

"What the hell is that?!" Linda exclaimed, covering her face with her arms.

"It's too bright, chu!" Warechu followed.

The car accelerated to an even faster speed, the roaring of its engine completely drowning out all other sounds in the alleyway. Fortunately, it just whizzed right past them, but the sheer speed was enough to create a burst of wind that ripped their large cardboard box to pieces, exposing them to the rain.

"Ah! Our cardboard box, chu!" Warechu yelped in surprise, while his partner in crime caught one last glance of the speeding vehicle, and came to a sudden realization.

"It's the car they mentioned on radio!" The rowdy delinquinent exclaimed, as she immediately stood up and went after it in a mad dash. "Come on!"

"W-Wait for me, chu!" Warechu trailed behind her, having a hard time keeping up with her speed.

Linda's dream to carjack the vehicle and reap all the sweet, sweet riches for themselves was soon shattered to oblivion, however.

The vehicle drove onto the street, and disappeared behind the horizon. The two, as they emerged out of the alley, only saw its shadow vanishing in the distance; Linda fell to her knees in distress, while her partner just sighed in disappointment.

"It could've been our only opportunity out of this life!" Linda cried, as she smashed her fists repeatedly into the concrete floor.

"I told you, chu.." Warechu sighed. "At least nothing bad happens to us."

.

.

.

(Or is it?)

A siren suddenly blared out from behind them, getting louder and louder. It was at this moment that they realized they were in a bad situation. One that was even worse than before.

"Oh no.." Warechu mumbled, sweating heavily.

A police car came to a halt in front of them, and multiple officers stepped out of the car. Apparently, one of them was quite familiar with the pair.

"Is that… the suspect back in the hotel?" The officers frowned, before moving out of the vehicle, ready to perform for an arrest. "Hey, you two! Stop right there!"

"Damn it!" Linda cursed, as she dashed away from the car. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

"W-Wait for me, chu!" Warechu also started running.

"Hey! I told you to stop right there!" The officers warned, as they chased after the pair in hot pursuit.

"I thought we already had it bad enough!" Linda complained. "Why do things just keep getting worse!"

"Well, not my fault!" Warechu briefly turned back to yell at her. "You did this to yourself, chu!"

"Shut up!" She replied, clearly not pleased about his attitude. It was going to be a long day for these two, now completely drenched in the rain and on the run.

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Planeptune_

"Why did I even agreed to this..?"

Inside an office room of the Basilicom lay a pen, a table, and hundreds of papers that were stacked into tall blocks. At its center, a certain Goddess was currently flipping through the papers in a sluggish manner, tormented by the sheer size of the workload. She was very, very close to quitting, yet her desire for puddings anchored her firmly to her seat.

"Come oooooon!" Neptune whined. "How long will it take to finish aaaall of these papers!?"

"Uh, sis?" Her sister sweatdropped, peeking through the office's doorway. "I can hear you from over here."

"Oh come on, Nepgear! Would you pleeease help your sister out?" She begged.

"If I do, then I wouldn't have enough time to reach the shop..."

"Jeez...Fine, I'll handle it myself!" Neptune slammed her face into the desk, not wanting to stress herself out further by staring at the stacks of paperwork.

Nepgear could not help but feel a little bad for her older sister, who had to work through all the papers on her own. Unfortunately, helping Neptune would deprive her of the precious time she needed to buy the puddings, and she had to hurry.

"So, is there anything else I can get for you, before I leave?" Nepgear turned back at the door and asked.

"Nah, puddings are enough for my desperate stomach."

"Well, alright then." Nepgear nodded. "If you've changed your mind, call me through the phone, okay?"

"I got'chya..." Neptune responded to her with a thumb up, her face still buried in her arms.

"Good! I'll see you later, sis."

Her sister's footsteps soon faded away in the distance, and Neptune was completely alone. The Goddess, still not in a bright mood, hesitantly went back to work on the papers. As the boredom got unbearable, she finally grabbed the remote control besides her, and turned on the radio. And, lucky enough, the Hive-Five Radio was live.

"Wow!" She exclaimed. "Guess 5pb.'s songs should be of some help, here."

The rhythmic tune of the radio music was enough for her to be placated, while working on the unpleasant task. Countless hours had passed as she signed the papers in a frenzy, completely unaware of her surroundings thanks to the music.

The phone on her desk suddenly started ringing, causing her to halt her work and look up.

"Hello, this is your girl, Neptune, going live with your favourite protagonist~! Can I help you?" she picked up the phone, and chirped cheerfully.

"What the?" A familiar voice replied, from the other side. "Neptune, is that you?"

"Oh what's up, Kei!" Neptune gleefully answered, "Kinda rare for you to call me."

"Rare for you to answer, too. Since only Histoire spends her days in the office." Kei commented. "Where's Histoire, anyway?"

"She decided to go to bed for a short rest, so I take her place, to do the paperwork."

"How odd for a lazy Goddess to actually work in her office." Kei teased.

"Hey! I'm not that lazy!" Neptune retorted, quite offended at the jab, "At least, I'm not as lonely as Noire!"

"I know. But really, of all times, why do you suddenly decide to work now?" She asked.

"It's a deal with Nepgear, in return for tasty pudding as reward." Neptune answered, her mouth still watering at the imaginary puddings. "Oh yeah, and why are you calling Histoire?"

"Business, and political issues. Doubt that you'll understand."

"Oh c'mon, you can always ask me about anything happening in Gamindustri. I'm all ears!"

"I need to go right now. There's something urgent." Kei immediately cut her off.

"Hey! Wait a sec-" Neptune tried to keep the conversation going, but the call was soon terminated, leaving only a long monotone beep coming out of the receiver.

"Ugh! Is Kei usually like that? Oh well, time to go back to the paperwork, I guess..."

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Lastation_

Inside the gorgeous, luxurious room, Kei was sitting at her desk. Putting the telephone receiver back in place, she sighed, not satisfied with her call at all. Didn't expect Neptune to be the one answering. As she was about to stand up, having already accepted that she might need to visit Planeptune in person, she was interrupted by a teenage girl, wearing a regal, maid-like dress.

"How's the call with Histoire?" The girl asked.

"Not what I expected, Lady Noire." Kei calmly responded. "I got Neptune on the call instead. Actually working on her job, for once."

"Well, that's odd..." Noire opened her mouth in surprise, clearly not expecting such a display of diligence from the lazy Goddess. "Whatever the reason is, I should first go talk about the matter with Histoire. Could you watch over the Basilicom while I'm gone?"

"Sure, milady." The Oracle nodded, before she continued her speech. "While I do not wish to waste more of your time, why are you in such a rush? I can go inform Histoire instead, if you want."

"It is something both urgent and private. Don't get me wrong, I still trust you, but this matter is very important, so I'd rather talk to Histoire personally..."

"I see." Kei nodded in understanding. "Then have a safe flight, milady."

"Thanks, I'll be going now." The goddess waved her farewell, before leaving the room.

Kei took a glance at her watch. It was past 2 PM, and, according to her schedule, there were still a lot more things to work on; management of the employees, paperwork, business deals—she had her priorities straight. Just as she was about to leave her seat, Kei was interrupted once again, this time by a younger girl with black twintails.

"Excuse me, Kei. Have you seen Noire?" The girl asked.

"She had just departed for the Basilicom of Planeptune, Lady Uni." Kei answered. "Because of something urgent. She does not wish to be disturbed."

"Oh, I see..." Uni lowered her head, a little dejected by the news.

"But if there's something you want to tell Lady Noire, I can let her know later."

"No, no! That's all right!" Uni sweatdropped, frantically waving her hands towards the Oracle. "I'm just asking where she is. That's all!"

"I see.." Kei nodded. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some other chores to work on. The schedule is quite tight at this moment."

"Well sure, go ahead, Kei."

"Thank you, Lady Uni." Kei thanked her before walking out of the room, leaving the CPU Candidate behind.

Uni strolled out of the room, and made her way through the massive hallways of the Basilicom, adoring the greenery in their garden and the massive steel skyscrapers that could be seen through the decorated windows. However, her leisurely walk was suddenly interrupted by the loud broadcast coming out of a guard's radio.

"After hours of pursuit, the Planeptunian authorities lost track of the unidentified vehicle that was last seen in the north-eastern mountains of Planeptune. If you have seen this vehicle, please contact the nearby authorities. According to witnesses, it had caused massive property damage throughout the city. Fortunately, no casualties has been reported during the pursuit, but the amount of credits lost from the damage are staggering."

"Hey!" She shouted to the guard. "Can you tune it down?! It's too loud!"

"Oh uh, my apology for that, milady!"

After the guard had hurriedly toned down the volume of his radio, Uni could finally enjoy the walk in peace. Even though she was still unhappy about the disturbance, the mention of Planeptune made her remember something.

"Now that I think about it, what's Nepgear up to, right now?" She mumbled. "Eh, she might be busy. Maybe I should go check out the ammunition shop, heard that they stock up some new gear today!"

Having decided on a course of action, Uni turned back, and rushed out of the Basilicom. There was no time to waste!

* * *

\- Marketplace, Lastation

Looking for parts, tools, equipment, and stocks for industrial-related work? Then you've come to the right place!

The market was flooded by people, wandering in and out of the many stores, eager to spend their money on much-needed goods. Uni made her way through the crowded market with her purse in hand, heading straight towards a single shop. Most of the customers recognized her, and greeted the CPU Candidate as she passed by.

"Good afternoon! Lady Black Sister!"

"Afternoon, milady!"

"Good afternoon, milady! You can try out on our latest tool for-!"

"Thanks! But no thanks!" She cheerfully apologized, and continued her walk.

Having finally arrived at the ammunition shop, Uni leaned on the door, panting in exhaustion. She was afraid that she would not make it in time, but luckily, she experienced almost no trouble getting to the store.

"Hehe, as I expect!" The cashier laughed, as she made her way into the store. "Every time we've received the new stocks, you're always our first customer."

"Well, you know me.." She awkwardly chuckled. "So anyway, what do you have?"

"Hmm, let me check the product list..." The cashier said, as he grabbed the paper listing the products. "We got attachable thermal and night vision scopes, along with extended magazines for pistols and submachine guns."

"Are there any for rifles?"

"So far, there's only a bipod, and a silencer, recommended for use on sniper rifles, so there's that. These are the only parts we've got from our imports."

Thinking out what she should buy, Uni remembered that she did plan to do a Guild mission with Nepgear in Virtua Forest. Stronger monsters were popping up recently, according to the Guild's reports. Exactly how tough the monsters were? She was not sure.

But if she wanted to keep herself safe, a sniper rifle would be the best choice for her, along with the silencer to prevent attracting more monsters, a bipod for accuracy's sake, and a thermal scope for her to see through the dense woods of the forest.

"Right now, I think I'll have the bipod, thermal scope, and a silencer for my sniper rifle." She told the cashier.

"Hardly fancy parts. Seems like you're going to be a little more utilitarian, huh?"

"Yeah, there's something that I want to do later."

"Got it. I'll get the parts you need." The cashier nodded, before disappearing into the backroom.

While leaning onto the checkout counter, patiently waiting for her order, Uni heard some sort of radio chatter inside the backroom. She could not make out what it was saying, since the radio was too far off from the counter. The cashier's comment was still audible, however.

"Damn, this dude really has the balls, bulldozing around Gamindustri like that."

"What do you mean?" Uni shouted in his direction.

"Ever heard the news about that black car in Planeptune?" the cashier replied. "Rampaging around the city, causing property damage that racks up to millions of credits until it finally caught the Guild's attention."

"What about it?"

"Whatever that car is, it has been driving around for hours, without taking a refuel, yet the cops still lost it in the end. It's like the car is installed with Hermes' tires, too swift to be caught!"

"I don't get it though..." Uni frowned. "I did hear about this, back in the Basilicom, but why did our radio station pick this up, if the car is still in Planeptune?"

"As I said, dude having the balls to bulldoze around the whole Gamindustri." The cashier turned the radio's volume up.

"...seems like the suspicious vehicle, last seen in Planeptune, has appeared again on the main roads of Lastation! It is currently speeding through the highway network. So far, police vehicles are unable to apprehend it, but the unidentified vehicle is currently under close surveillance from the cameras of police helicopters."

Uni was listening to the radio in keen interest when she was interrupted by a call from her phone, and she looked down, to check out the caller. It was Kei.

"Hello?" Uni answered.

"Lady Uni, I apologize if I interrupted you, but there's an emergency."

"Is it about that black vehicle?" Uni asked. "I heard it on the radio."

"Yes, milady. Since Lady Noire is not present at this moment, they're requesting your aid in stopping its rampage. "

"Alright, I got it!" Uni hung up her phone, and dashed out of the shop.

"Hey, Lady Uni! You forget your orders here!"

"I'll get them later!" She shouted back as she departed into the sky, ready to defend Lastation from yet another mysterious threat.

* * *

_\- Meanwhile, in the sky of Lastation_

Over the clear blue skies, above the industrial plants of Lastation, Uni, in her HDD form, was flying through the air at a high speed. She tried to stay close to the ground, above the highway where she expected the suspect vehicle to be at.

Just as she was glancing around, she noticed that someone was trailing behind her, and immediately aimed her large rifle towards the figure.

"Take this!" She exclaimed as she fired a plasma-like projectile from the gun. The figure dodged away at the last second, and the shot missed its target.

"W-Wait!" A familiar voice yelled back. "Uni, it's me!"

"What the-?" Uni frowned, until the figure came closer, and she finally saw her face. "Nepgear?! Why are you here?!"

"Hehe, it's a long story." Nepgear, also in her HDD form, sweatdropped. "I came here to chase down that car, which has destroyed many parts of Planeptune. But since it is now in Lastation and you're here, guess I could help you out?"

"Sure, I'll really appreciate it." Uni happily responded before she noticed Nepgear was holding something in her hands. "...Is that a bag of puddings...?"

"Oh uh, y-yeah." She nodded in embarrassment. "Was about to give them to Neptune, until this happened."

"Alright then.." Uni awkwardly looked away, before she saw something on the highway. "Enough talk! There it is!"

She pointed at the black vehicle, accelerating its speed as it zoomed past the civilian cars. Police cars were also visible, tailing the suspect vehicle from a distance away.

"Come on, let's stop this chase once and for all!" Uni yelled, determined to stop the vehicle.

"Got it!" Nepgear followed behind her, as both of them flew towards the vehicle.

The unknown driver, noticing that the car was being followed, stepped hard on the gas pedal, causing the vehicle to accelerate to an even faster speed. However, it was not enough to ditch the Candidates, whose flight speed was much faster. As the vehicle approached the U-Turn lane, the driver made an unthinkable move.

The vehicle swerved onto the opposite lane, causing more havoc on the road as it swiftly dodged through the oncoming vehicles, without leaving a single scratch on itself.

"What the?!" Nepgear cried out in surprise.

"This guy must be insane!" Uni exclaimed.

The lanes started branching into separate tunnels. Uni knew that they'd lose the driver if they flew into the tunnel, and it turned out to be the incorrect lane. It was at this moment she realized what the suspect was trying to do.

"So the driver wants to play a game on us, huh?" Uni said. "Nepgear, we should fly into the tunnel that the suspect is driving into."

"You mean the wrong lane?!" Nepgear's face paled at the suggestion. "You know how dangerous that is, right?!"

"If we don't, then we'll lose the guy." Uni pointed out, unfazed by her warning, "Come on!"

"W-Wait for me!"

They were now rushing through the tunnel. The unidentified vehicle continued to flawlessly dodge through the other cars at a breathtaking speed, while the candidates were struggling to keep up with it, nearly colliding with a few oncoming vehicles in their hurry.

Despite how fast they were going, Nepgear was still holding onto her bag of puddings, unwilling to let go of her sister's precious reward. Uni was nearly struck by a vehicle and slammed onto the walls, but managed to regain her balance at the last second.

Even though the chase was getting increasingly exhausting for the Candidates, they were still able to catch up with the driver, in the end. As they were approaching a bend, the car took a sharp turn to the right, its tires smoking as it swerved across the concrete floor. The Candidates followed as well, slowing down as they made a turn in the same direction.

They were now inside a straight lane tunnel, very close to the surface, and a glimpse of light could be seen at its end.

"Now it's our chance!" Uni readied her large rifle, aiming towards the vehicle.

Before she could pull the trigger, the car window suddenly opened as the driver threw a cube-like object at the Candidates.

"What is that?" Nepgear yelled, as the object tumbled through the air.

Right at that moment, the cube exploded in an excessively bright burst of light, blinding the Candidates. Seconds later, it sent out a shockwave that distorted their hearings, and pain flooded through all of their senses.

"What's happening?!" The girls screamed in pain, as they fell onto the concrete road. The last thing they saw, before everything went black, was the vehicle, speeding away into the horizon...

* * *

_\- Leanbox_

In a simple mall, a huge crowd gathered around the convention booths, expressing their joy and love for their favorite entertainment mediums. Despite the heavy presence of Leanbox's military inside the mall, it was still nonetheless a fun, lighthearted convention.

Most participants were cosplaying as their favourite characters from different fictional franchises, and there were stalls everywhere, selling goods and merchandise to passing visitors for a small price.

Amongst the crowd, a busty lady with long blond hair, in green and white dress, was wandering around the convention hall, holding a bag full of novels, manga, and games. Focusing her gaze on a specific stall, she caught sight of a certain game, and decided to stop by that stall for a purchase.

It was a game about the love of two male students that takes place in a high-school setting, as typical of the Boy's Love genre. Despite the stigma associated with it, it was still the lady's first choice.

"Excuse me, sir?" She asked, in a gentle voice. "May I buy that game?"

"Uh, s-sure! Lady Green Heart!" The seller stuttered, genuinely happy at the sight of her. "It's my honor to serve you as a customer!"

"My my~!" She giggled. "You are being too kind."

"T-Thank you, milady!" the seller hurried away, before finally returning to her and dropping the game onto the counter. "It only costs 260 credits."

"Sure, I'll take it." The blond lady nodded as she handed over the credits she had on her, in exchange for the video game, "Have a nice day."

"Y-You too, milady."

Moving on, the lady seems pleased with the amount of interesting products that were displayed inside the stalls around her. Figurines, merchandise, games, all those goods could be found inside the convention hall, a heaven for casual and hardcore fans alike, including her...

Her shopping trip was interrupted by a call from her phone. She removed the phone from her purse, and started talking.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"It's me, my darling Vert!"

"Oh hello there, my dear Chika!" Vert smiled. "Is there something important going on?"

"Not exactly, but it is something we should be aware of." Chika answered, which only served to confuse the goddess further.

"Huh? How so?" She asked.

"Have you heard the news, my darling?"

"What news?" Vert tilted her head in puzzlement. "I haven't paid attention to the news, since I've been busy attending a convention."

"Jeez, what are you doing at this time, my dear sister?" Chika sighed as she began to explain. "An unidentified car has been recklessly driving around Gamindustri, and it had already caused serious property damage in Planeptune and Lastation. Should we put up an inspection barrier around the major roads to Leanbox, my dear sister?"

"Oh dear.." Vert sighed. "That really is something to be aware of. I'll let you handle the situation. I don't want my nation wrecked to pieces, like what happened to Planeptune and Lastation."

"Anything for you, my darling!" Chika happily responded. "I'll let you know if something happens."

"I would be pleased. Thank you, my dear Chika." Vert smiled before she hung up, continuing her walk around the convention. As her bag got heavier from every purchase, she finally checked her watch.

"Oh dear!" She gasped in surprise. "I've indulged in my desires for too long! Well, time to head back to the Basilicom."

Realizing that she had lost track of time, her leisurely time in the convention hall had finally come to an end as she made her way out of the building, and walked onto the streets.

Every building in the capital were built in a Brutalist style, coated with white and green paint, dwarfing the pedestrians that scurried between the city blocks. Considering how populated the area was, it must be a busy day, and the Goddess was having a hard time making her way through the heavy traffic during rush hours.

It would take a long time for her to get back to the Basilicom, thanks to the busy roads of Leanbox, and she could not possibly stick to her assigned schedule...

"Oh dear..." Vert put a hand to her forehead. "I should've planned this better..."

* * *

\- Basilicom, Leanbox

As the home of the CPU, every room were kept nice and tidy by the employees who worked for their Goddess and their Oracle, together with the maids and butlers. Not even a speck of dirt could be found, inside the Basilicom.

So far, the servants doesn't seem very troubled about their job, despite the strict schedule imposed on them. As they went around the building, diligently working on a multitude of chores, a discussion was going on between the Oracle and the senior officers of Leanbox's military, inside a soundproof room where no one could overhear the conversation.

Atop the large circular table lay a map of Leanbox, depicting every known route in and out of the nation, including the sewers and rarely used passages.

"Lady Chika, we have a checkpoint built on every major road from Gamindustri to Leanbox. We can assure you that it will be impossible for the suspect to drive into our nation unnoticed!" One of the generals assured her.

"But what if the car forces its way through?" Chika asked. "Surely the checkpoints wouldn't be an effective deterrence, now that we know the driver is a reckless criminal that has already caused massive property damage?"

"We've set up an ambush nearby, with our pursuit vehicles." Another man answered. "They have already been tested, and are definitely fast enough to keep up with the suspect."

"They better be..." The Oracle sighed. "It's a very old car, yet, for some reason, no one has managed to chase it down. Not even the police forces of Planeptune and Lastation."

Whispers and murmurs began to circulate around the room. The higher-ups looked at each other in puzzlement; some suggested that they should revise their plan and come up with a better precaution, yet no consensus could be reached in the end. The Oracle was not pleased about this lack of resolution, and slammed her fist down on the table in frustration.

"Jeez! You're among the highest ranks of the army, yet you couldn't agree on how to deal with one car—one car!"

"W-We apologize for our incompetence, milady!" One of them stuttered. "We're doing our best to find a way to end its rampage for good!"

"Then this meeting is over!" Chika replied. "Until you and your friends came up with a better plan, I do not wish to be disturbed."

"Y-Yes, milady.." They bowed to the Oracle before taking their leave.

After the disappointing meeting, Chika laid back on her seat, with a cup of tea in her hand, freshly served by one of the maids. Sipping the tea and savoring the taste, she found herself genuinely liking the drink, which relieved a little bit of her stress.

After she finished her tea, she left the room and walked towards the office, expecting her "big sister" to be there, but found it unoccupied. She glanced at the clock, and saw that it was the time that Vert was supposed to come to work.

Concerned about her absence, Chika brought up her phone, and tried to call Vert again.

* * *

_\- Leanbox_

Still trapped in a long traffic jam, Vert had a feeling that she wouldn't be going anywhere in the next few hours. Perhaps she should transform into her HDD form, and fly away...no, that was unnecessary, and somewhat improper for a Goddess.

Sighing in exhaustion, Vert found herself in front of a television shop, looking into the many screens that were displaying footages from different channels. Right at this moment, she received another call from her Oracle.

"Hello, dear Chika?" She answered. "Is there something important?"

"I'm sorry, big sis. It's not important, but...where are you right now?" Chika asked in a concerned voice. "You're running late for work."

"Ah, I see." She sweatdropped. "I was supposed to be there an hour ago, but I'm currently stuck in such a crowded area..."

"I understand, big sis. Should I send a driver to pick you up?"

"Sure, it would be a-"

Vert's response was suddenly interrupted by a news broadcast, playing on one of the television screens. She would have glanced over it, had she not heard something important—no, not for Leanbox. It was more personal than that.

"As the chase goes on, it has reached a point where even two CPU Candidates were forced to intervene, and join the pursuit for the unidentified suspect!" The news anchor announced, and Vert's attention was completely focused on the screen now.

"You heard me right, ladies and gentlemen, not just one, but two CPU Candidates, from Planeptune and Lastation, have come to aid the authorities. They were last seen in the tunnels of Lastation's main highway, before multiple drivers found them lying unconscious on the ground, and the suspect is still on the loose..."

The news was then switched to a live feed, showing the two CPU Candidates being carried into the ambulance, surrounded by police cars and road blocks. Vert's eyes widened in shock as she saw the unconscious Candidates.

"After being notified by nearby drivers, the authorities were immediately sent onto the scene. The CPU Candidates were found inside the tunnel, close to its northern exits. Medical teams were also dispatched, and fortunately enough, the Candidates have not suffered any physical injuries, though the exact cause of their current state remains unknown. According to testimonies from nearby witnesses, none of them had seen the wanted vehicle, when they discovered the unconscious CPU Candidates."

"The investigation continues, and the authorities now classify the unidentified driver as a highly dangerous criminal that is currently on the wanted list of the entire Gamindustri. The involvement of the CPUs must be taken into consideration, to prevent further damage after this unfortunate incident..."

"Oh no.." Vert mumbled, her voice filled with anxiety and concern about the safety of the Candidates, especially Nepgear. How could this happen to them? To her friends? She was completely stunned, until the ringing of her phone snapped her out of her shock.

"Sis? Can you still hear me?" Chika asked.

"Forget about my work, I need to go to Lastation right now."

"What? What are yo-?"

Before Chika could finish, Vert abruptly ended the call as she transformed into her HDD form, causing the pedestrians around her to stare at her in surprise. With no time to waste, she took off into the sky, heading straight towards Lastation.

* * *

_\- Lowee_

Colorful houses were scattered all across the snowy fields of Lowee, and many of its residents were enjoying the lovely weather, with children playfully moving around in the lumpy snow and building snowmen atop the fields.

Not far away from the town, two girls were glancing across the frozen lake. One of them was a girl with long brown hair, wearing a pink overcoat, while the other had short brown hair, and was wearing a blue overcoat. Their appearances were nearly identical.

"Come on, Rom!" The girl with long hair eagerly tugged at her sister's sleeves. "We shouldn't be far away from our treasure!"

"O-Okay!" The other girl meekly responded. She was clearly having some trouble wading through the deep snow. "Can't you s-slow down a little, Ram?"

The snow was deep enough to cover their boots entirely, as they made their way through the white, snowy field, leaving a trail of footprints behind. Although the girl with a pink hat seemed to have no trouble jogging through the snow, the other girl was overly cautious in comparison, not wishing to slip and fall because of her clumsiness.

"Ugh!" Ram grabbed her twin sister's arm, and started pulling her through the snow. "Just come on! You don't have to worry about falling down!"

"W-Wait!" Her timid sister yelped. "S-Stop pulling me, Ram!"

"I got you, Rom! Just hold on for a while."

Venturing through the deepest part of the valley, Ram bravely led the way, while her easily-scared sister, Rom, following closely behind her. Finally, they climbed to the top of a snowy field, where they could see everything in the far distance, including the dark frozen forest on the horizon.

Rom was carrying her trusty shovel, while Ram picked up the map, to check the location of their treasure site. She looked up with a pleased smile, and pointed towards the distant forest.

"The treasure is right over there! Come on, Rom! We are so close to the treasure!"

"Is it dangerous, Ram?" Rom asked in a shaky voice. "That forest looks so scary..."

"You're no fun when you are like that!" Ram complained. "Just stay close to me, and we should be fine!"

"O-Okay.." Her sister timidly followed behind her.

The twins made their way into the dark forest. The deeper they ventured into the forest, the quieter the environment became. Even the sounds of nature were engulfed in the cold, ominous winds, enough to send a shiver through the timid sister.

Apart from a flock of crows lurking in the shadows, the forest was as empty as a void, devoid of all signs of life. Even the trees were long dead, with no leaves on their branches, their trunks stained an unnaturally dark color.

Despite the sinister environment around them, Ram does not even seem to feel any fear, completely blinded by her determination to find their treasure, while Rom was ready to give up on their hunt, but felt that it might be too late to turn back, so she hesitantly moved along, staying close to her twin sister.

As they wandered through the depths of the forest, with Ram continuously checking her map to see if they were any closer to their destination, her sister, cautious of their surroundings, readied her wand, just in case anything dangerous popped out of the shadows.

"Are we there yet..?" Rom asked.

"Aaaaand… we're here!" Ram proudly exclaimed as she marked an X on the ground, indicating the location of the treasure. "Can you give me the shovel, Rom?"

"Sure." She nodded, giving their trusty shovel to her twin sister, who immediately started digging.

Rom stood by her sister, who continued to dig for the treasure. As the timid girl waited for her sister to finish, she spotted an uncanny road, right in the middle of the forest. Succumbing to her curiosity, she slowly approached it, before her twin sister noticed her movement and turned towards her.

"Rom? Where are you going?" Ram asked.

"Checking a road over there..."

"A road?" Ram frowned in confusion before she also saw the road, which was not far from them. "Alright, but don't go too far!"

Nodding, Rom continued her inspection of the ominous road, while keeping an eye out for her sister. The road seemed pretty old, its asphalt surface badly cracked and crumbling away, indicating that it had been around, and abandoned, for a long, long time.

As Rom wandered around the abandoned road, she heard an ominous engine sound, coming from the other end of the road. Her curiosity shattered by fear and panic, she quickly ran towards Ram, and hid behind her back, which took her by surprise.

"What the?! Rom, what are you doing?!" Ram frowned.

"Shhh!" Rom shushed her, "B-Be quiet! Something is coming through!"

Ram merely stared at her in puzzlement, not sure about what her sister meant, until she heard the same ominous sound, which prompted them to hop into the hole together and crouch down. The sound grew louder and louder as the unknown threat moved towards the sisters' location, filling them with anxiety.

Eventually, it got close enough that the girls could finally see the source of the noise: a black vehicle with an oddly rigid, dated appearance, compared to normal vehicles in Gamindustri, speeding onto the broken asphalt road.

The sisters were fortunate enough to remain unspotted, as the car drove away into the woods. They stood back up, heaving a sigh of relief. For a second, they almost thought that they would be in serious danger.

"Phew..." Ram brushed the dirt and snow off her clothes. "It's a good thing that they didn't see us, Rom!"

But she did not get a reply. Ram was confused by the silence. She poked her sister in the shoulder, who was just standing there, staring at the road.

"Rom?"

"What is that..?" Rom asked her sister, pointing her finger at a strange object, lying on the road, before moving towards the object to pick it up.

"Rom, wait!" Ram scrambled out of the hole, and ran after her sister. She came to a halt in front of Rom, eager to get a good look at the object in her sister's hands.

It was some sort of cube. A very weird one, consisting of a big, brown-ish translucent cube, and a smaller cube contained inside it.

When Rom tried to rotate the cube, the entire cube started to distort itself, as the inner cube moved closer, while the outer cube drifted further away from her. Ram, however, did not observe the same phenomenon, which left her staring at her sister in confusion.

"This is a very weird box..." Ram stated. "Should we ask Mina about this?"

"Yeah." Rom simply nodded. "It must be dropped from that car. Are you done with the treasure?"

"Well…about that..."

Ram brought up the "treasure" to her sister, revealing a piece of paper with words written on it. No gold, ancient artifacts, or any fancy, valuable items. Just a piece of paper. Rom lowered her head, dejected, her hope completely shattered by this disappointing discovery.

"I can't believe someone pranked us like that! Whoever did it shall pay for it!" Ram complained as she stomped her feet in frustration.

"At least we got this weird box...?"

"Well, that's true, but it just appeared out of nowhere. We're lucky, I guess..." Ram sighed, "Let's go home."

Rom gladly nodded, and the twins started making their way out of the scary, sinister forest. Though she was still not happy with Ram, for taking her into such a dangerous place, at least they were unharmed during their treasure hunt.

The "treasure" they found was a big disappointment, but the mystical cube-like item did attract their interest. Hopefully, they would know what it was, after they asked Mina.

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Planeptune_

After the rain had stopped, IF and Compa finally arrived at the Basilicom, hoping that Neptune would be there. As they entered the Basilicom, they found the living room and kitchen completely empty, so they continued to search around.

"Huh?" IF stroke her chin in confusion. "Where are they?"

"I looked at the bedrooms. Histoire is here, but she's asleep." Compa informed her.

"Guess there's one more room left, the office." IF stated, as the girls began to walk into the office.

The girls glanced through the doorway, and saw Neptune sleeping at the desk, thoroughly exhausted from finishing the stacks of paperwork. Compa immediately approached her, to check if she was okay, while IF was more surprised at the fact that Neptune was actually doing her job like a proper CPU.

"Nep-Nep! Are you okay?!" Compa called out to her in worry, shaking Neptune's shoulder.

"Ughh, wha-wah?" Neptune slowly woke up, and wiped the drool off her face. "Compa, is that you?"

"Oh, thank goodness you're okay..." Compa sighed in relief.

"What are you even doing in here, Nep?" IF asked her. "This is the first time that I see you actually working in the office. I thought you would be slacking off, as per usual."

"Oh, c'mon, IF! Don't be that harsh on me." Neptune shrugged. "I'm not always that lazy! Besides, I'm doing this for puddings."

"Speaking about puddings, we came here to give you some puddings we bought from the new cafe!" Compa smiled as she handed over the bag of puddings to the purple-haired Goddess.

"Yippee!" Neptune smiled, with her fists raised up high in the air. "Puddings from Compa, and puddings from Nepgear!"

"Gear?" IF asked. "She's bringing you puddings, too?"

"As part of a deal, yes." Neptune nodded. "Is it just me, or is today my lucky day?"

"Lucky for you, I guess. I thought Gear would be here by now."

"Now, speaking about Nepgear, where is she?" Neptune asked curiously. "I've been waiting for her since like, many chunks of text ago..."

"Oh, god..." IF facepalmed. "Please stop..."

"Alright, time to be serious..." She coughed, before continuing their conversation, "Nepgear has been gone for hours, since we made our deal. When I finished all the paperwork, she hasn't come back yet. I've tried to call her, but she didn't even respond."

"Maybe something caught up to her, and she's busy right now?" Compa suggested.

"She usually isn't that busy, though..." IF gave her a doubtful look. "She does have plenty of free time, so a simple trip taking up so much of her time is…odd."

"Well, whatever it is, I can wait." Neptune said. "If it's my sister, I can always-"

A sound came from outside the Basilicom, and interrupted their conversation. The girls looked out of the window, to check if Nepgear had finally arrived. To their surprise, they found that it was Noire, turning back into her human form.

"Lady Noire?" IF stared at the familiar figure. "What is she doing here?"

"Probably looking for me, so, here I come!"

Jumping out of her seat, and making a few stretches to relax herself after a day of hard work, Neptune headed straight towards the living room, where Lastation's CPU was currently sitting in, followed by IF and Compa.

"Sup, my lonely-!"

"I'm not here for you." Noire bluntly cut her off.

"Nepu-?!" She gasped, looking somewhat wounded. "I mean, come on! Aren't we friends? Don't friends always look out for each other?"

"Nep, I'm serious." Noire sighed. "I come here to speak with Histoire. Is she in the office?"

"Not really." Compa answered, pointing towards the bedroom, "She is asleep in her room, so it's probably not the right time to-"

"Thanks, Compa." Noire gave her a brief nod, before heading straight towards Histoire's bedroom, but got abruptly blocked at the doorway by Neptune.

"Woah, calm down, Noire!" Neptune stretched her arms out in a "stop" gesture. "Isn't it a bit rude to wake her up like that?"

"It's something really urgent, can't you just-?"

Noire did not finish her sentence, as she was suddenly interrupted by a call. Great. She really didn't have time for more troubles. Noire sighed as she immediately checked the caller: Kei. She picked up the phone, and started speaking...

"What is it, Kei?"

…

"W-What?!" Noire's expression was one of pure shock and horror, as the girls stared at her in confusion.

…

"Alright.. I'll be there." Noire sighed, before she ended the call, and turned towards the trio. "Neptune, you need to come with me."

"What?" Neptune frowned. "Why?"

"Because something happened to Uni and Nepgear!"

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Lowee_

White Heart's home, the Basilicom, was a huge, decorated structure, and the snow only enhanced its beauty. The maids were working diligently in its hallways, maintaining the cleanliness and tidiness of the Basilicom.

As Rom and Ram finally arrived at their home, they were greeted by the Oracle, a lady that wore a short white dress under her red, long jacket, with gold lining and buttons, along with a red graduation cap on her head.

"Girls." The lady calmly called out to them. "How's the treasure hunting?"

"It's really bad, Mina!" Ram complained, stomping her way through the room, clearly in a bad mood. "We spent so much time, trying to find the treasure, only to get pranked!"

"Oh dear..." Mina mumbled to herself.

"B-But… we did found this." Rom handed the cube to the Oracle, "Do you know what this funny-looking box is, Mina?"

"Let me take a look, Rom..." She moved to take a closer look, with the timid Candidate still eyeing the strange, mysterious "cube" in her hands.

The brown cube was, indeed, lying on her palm, but she just could not feel any solid surface—The cube seemed to be incorporeal, and didn't actually exist in the physical world.

She was even more weirded out when she tried to rotate it, and the cube's form started to distort and ripple, as if it was trying to tear itself out of this dimension.

"Where did you girls find this?" Mina asked.

"Someone in a black car dropped it on the road." Ram answered. "We can't bring it back to its owner, because the car was driving so fast..."

"A black car..." Mina frowned, as a certain description that had been circulating around Gamindustri came to mind. "May I bring this to your sister, Lady Blanc? I'm sure she'll know what this is."

"Can we come with you?" Ram asked.

"Oh dear." Looking up at the clock, Mina smiled nervously. "It's time for dinner, you two. But don't worry, I'll bring it back to you, once we're done."

"Hmph!" Ram pouted, not entirely happy with the answer. "Promise?"

"I promise." Mina smiled.

The twins then moved into the dining room, guided by the maids. After checking on them one last time, the Oracle walked through the hallway, heading straight towards the CPU's office with the unknown "cube" in her hands.

* * *

_\- Office_

Mina moved into the office after getting permission for her entry. A young girl, wearing a large, white coat and a large, white hat, was currently working on her laptop, typing furiously on the keyboard.

"I apologize if I disturbed you, Lady Blanc." Mina said, as she made her way to the desk.

"Oh, not at all." Blanc shook her head, shutting her laptop off. "What is it, Mina?"

"Well, the girls found something strange, during their treasure hunt..."

Mina put the "cube" onto her desk. Blanc was looking quite confused as she picked up the cube for inspection, only to witness the same phenomenon that the twins and Mina had seen. There was something odd about the cube. An object like this was not supposed to exist.

"This isn't the item I put on their treasure map..." Blanc frowned, as she looked up from the cube. "This looks like a tesseract! Where the hell did they find it?"

"Well, they said that it was dropped from a black car."

"Wait wait.." Blanc's eyes widened at the familiar description. "You mean that car?"

"Yes, Lady Blanc." Mina nodded. "_That_ car."

"Great..." The CPU sighed. "Planeptune, Lastation, and now here..."

"And after what happened to the other Candidates, I would have been more worried, if the twins had gone after that car..."

"No, they won't." Blanc firmly replied. "If they found that car again, I'd be the one to go after it. Mina, I want you to alert the authorities and the citizens about the presence of that vehicle. It must be stopped."

"Yes, Lady Blanc." Mina nodded. "Oh, and that tesseract? The girls want it back."

"Not happening." She shook her head. "This tesseract may be dangerous for them, since we still don't know what it can do."

"I understand." Mina, respecting her Goddess's decision, bowed to her, before taking her leave from the office.

Now, alone in her office, Blanc found herself staring at the cube, more appalled than awed by its existence. She needed to be cautious.

"Just what the hell are you?" She mumbled to herself.

* * *

_\- Lowee_

Linda and Warechu collapsed onto the snowy ground of the valley, completely exhausted. They had actually managed to run all the way from Planeptune to Lowee without stopping, like they were in a giant marathon. After lying there for a while, they stood back up, to check if they were still being pursued. Luckily, it seemed like they had managed to get away this time.

"Phew..." Linda wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I think we've lost them."

"Why do we have to run all the way to Lowee, chu?" Warechu complained.

"To get away from them, of course!" She exclaimed. "Ugh! I can't believe this happened to us!"

"What a bad day, chu..."

Panting, Linda sat down again, as she glanced around, hoping to find a snowless, dry resting spot. The weather was quite cold here, but at least it was not as bad as the downpour in Planeptune. Even with the chilling wind, they were largely unaffected by the cold, thanks to the heat generated by their long run.

"Look!" Linda called out to the mouse, pointing her finger at the horizon. "There's a town over there. Should we go there?"

"It's better than freezing ourselves to death outside, chu." Warechu nodded, as he also stood back up. "Lets go."

And so the duo continued on with their travel, making their way through the deep snow that covered the field. Their legs felt like lead, and the walk was long and boring, but at least they would not get thrown in jail, here.

* * *

_\- Lastation_

The first Nepgear saw was the ceiling above, as she regained consciousness. From the corner of her eyes, she could see the bed she was lying on, the curtains around it, and the bag of puddings that lay on a nearby table.

With all those medical equipment lying around, she must have been transported to a hospital. Trying to stand up, she wobbled and fell back down onto the bed, unable to lift herself up in her current state. Eventually, a nurse noticed her, and quickly approached the Candidate.

"Oh, Lady Nepgear, you're awake!" The nurse smiled as she helped Nepgear to get up, "Your body is quite weak now, so please, don't overexert yourself."

"I-I understand..." Nepgear nodded weakly, before she remembered something. "Wait, where's Uni?"

"Don't worry." the nurse assured her, as she opened the curtains besides her, revealing Uni, who was still asleep on her bed. "Lady Uni is fine, as well. Though she may need more time to recover."

"Ugh..." Nepgear put a hand to her forehead. Her head was still hurting. Badly. "What happened to us, by the way?"

"You and Lady Uni were found unconscious on the highway, at the end of the tunnel," the nurse informed her, "with no signs of any severe physical injuries. It seems like both of you just tumbled onto the concrete road."

"I see...I can't believe this happened to us-"

"Is my dear Nepgear okay?!" A familiar voice was heard, from outside the room.

"P-Please, milady, they have not recovered yet! You should wait-"

The door shattered in a cloud of dust and debris as someone burst through it. Nepgear coughed, frantically waving her arms to dispel the smoke. The smoke soon cleared, and she was finally able to see the familiar figure: a busty woman in her regal green dress.

"V-Vert?!" Nepgear yelped in surprise.

"Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" The busty CPU had a huge grin of relief on her face, as she pulled Nepgear into a tight embrace, almost suffocating her with her large chest.

It seemed to be quite an intriguing sight for the nurse, who remained quiet, with a small smile on her face, as she looked on.

"I-I can't… b-breathe..!" Nepgear managed to squeeze out a weak protest, as she gasped for air.

"Oh dear!" Vert hurriedly let go of her. "I apologize for that, Nepgear. I just got so worried, after hearing about what happened."

"I-It's okay.." The Candidate assured her, after she had recovered from the shock. "Luckily, we only got knocked out, not injured."

"Thank goodness." Vert sighed. "What about Uni? Is she alright?"

"Lady Uni is fine, Lady Vert." The nurse assured her. "She does not have any injuries on her, just like Lady Nepgear, but she hasn't woken up yet."

"I see." Vert nodded in understanding. "If that's the case, then I want to know how it happened."

"The authorities want to know, too." The nurse said. "They're just waiting for you two to wake up, so they can hear the whole story."

"Alright." Nepgear coughed, before she started speaking again. "So it all started-"

"Nep Jr!" Neptune rushed through the open gate, and gave her sister a huge running hug. "I'm glad you're okay!"

"Gear!" IF soon followed.

"Ge-Ge!" Compa also hurriedly made her way into the room, and joined the hug.

"H-Hey guys! I'm fine!" Nepgear smiled, embraced by her sister and friends, "You are hugging me a little too tightly!"

"Huh? Lady Vert?" IF finally noticed Vert, who was sitting nearby. She didn't expect Leanbox's CPU to be here. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to check on Nepgear, of course." She smiled, "When I heard the news, it really gave me a good scare..."

"Nepu-?!" Neptune eyed her with suspicion. "You're not going to take advantage of her, and make her your 'little sister' again, are ya?"

"Oh dear.." Vert facepalmed. "It's not the time to fool around, Neptune..."

"Ugh..." Uni grumbled, still groggy from her sleep. "...What happened?"

"Oh, you're awake, Lady Uni." The nurse informed her. "Seems like you have some guests here."

"Sup' Uni, having a good beauty sleep?" Neptune gently teased her.

"Real funny, Neptune..." Uni sighed as she sat up from her bed. "Why do I feel so weak?"

"Uni?!" Noire dashed into the room, followed by Kei. When Noire saw her sister on the bed, she quickly moved to her side, and embraced her tightly. "Thank goodness you're okay! I'm sorry I wasn't there when it happened!"

"W-Woah!" Uni cried out in surprise. "Calm down, big sis! Nothing dangerous has happened to us."

"Getting here was more difficult than we expected. Took quite some time, squeezing our way through the journalists and cameramen..." Kei facepalmed. "How did it happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"The car." She stated. "How were they able to knock you two out?"

"Well, we almost caught them..." Nepgear answered, and everyone turned to listen to her. "...until they threw some weird cube at us."

"A cube?" Compa looked quite bewildered.

"We thought it would be harmless, until it suddenly exploded, and blinded us with the bright light." Uni paused. "We didn't know it could knock us out. If so, I would've shot it down before it even touched us!"

"According to the investigators' reports..." Kei flipped through the papers in her hand. " They have not found any item at the site, aside from a bag of pudding. Of course."

"Did someone say pudding?" Neptune shoved her way into the conversation, mildly intrigued by the mention of her favorite food.

"Oh yeah, I forgot..." Nepgear scratched her head, looking quite embarrassed. "I was about to give them to Neptune, when I heard about what was happening in Planeptune. I had to carry it with me."

"Even in such danger, you still held onto it, just for me?" Neptune almost looked tearful, as she hugged her sister again, clearing touched by her efforts. "Thank you, my lovely Nep Jr! That is why you are, and will always be, the best sister in my eye!"

"Well, the shop was about to close. I can't lose the pudding, since we have a deal." Nepgear sweatdropped.

"So..." Noire coughed. "After what happened, how's Lastation doing?"

"Suffered little damage, unlike Planeptune. probably because the Candidates intervened." Kei informed her.

"Hey! Not fair!" Neptune complained. "How is your nation still in good shape, while ours isn't?!"

"Well, if you were taking your job seriously, then this wouldn't have happened." Noire retorted.

"Said the lonely girl who left her nation for Histy."

"What did you just say?!"

Tension started to grow between the two CPUs, and Vert had an uneasy look on her face as she attempted to calm them down. At this moment, Kei received a phone call, and she walked out of the room, leaving the others to continue their speculation.

"If Planeptune and Lastation have already been targeted, which nation is next?" IF speculated.

"Leanbox?" Compa suggested.

"Why, Chika has already set up checkpoints and barriers on every major road to Leanbox." Vert pointed out. "It will be impossible for them to enter the nation without being discovered."

"It's in Lowee." Kei calmly answered as she walked back into the room, causing everyone to focus their attention on her. "Apparently the authorities there are on full alert, after the Candidates saw them passing by."

"Rom and Ram?" Nepgear asked.

"Then we better go there, before something happens to them." IF suggested. "If we want to stop the guy, we need to stick together."

"I agree." Uni nodded. "But uh…can someone help me out? I can't stand up, because I feel so weak..."

"I'll help." Nepgear volunteered as she bent down beside Uni, asking her to put her arm onto Nepgear's shoulder. Then after, Nepgear slowly helped her up, supporting her weight and allowing her to barely stand.

Her own legs were a little wobbly, as she still hadn't recovered from her long rest, but it would probably get better after a while. Now, both of them were standing upright, as Nepgear helped Uni to move around the room.

"T-Thanks, Nepgear..." Uni muttered a thank, blushing heavily.

"You're welcome!" Nepgear smiled. "It's what friends do for each other!

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Nepgear suddenly remembered something, and pointed back. "Sis, the puddings are on the table, right over there!"

"I got it!" Neptune gave her a thumbs up.

"Well..." Vert said. "I guess it's time to go to Lowee, then."

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Lowee_

"What?!" The girl wearing a large, pink hat cried. "You promised us, Mina!"

"I'm sorry girls, but your sister insists that you shouldn't touch it." The Oracle apologized. "She'll hold on to it for awhile."

"I can't believe it! Come on, Rom! Let's go get our cube thingy back!"

"O-Okay..." Her timid sister mumbled.

Ram, furious that her older sister would keep their treasure away from them like that, stomped her way through the hallway as she dragged Rom along, pouting and puffing her cheeks.

The CPU noticed the girls approaching her office as Ram continued to stomp on the floor, while her twin sister just meekly followed behind her.

"Big sister!" Ram angrily called out to her. "Why can't we have our cube thingy back?!"

"Because this thing could be dangerous for you two!" Blanc retorted. "This 'cube thingy' is not a toy!"

"How do you know it is dangerous, big sis?!"

"Because the car you girls saw is the same one that has been wreaking havoc around Gamindustri!" Blanc replied. "Something happened to Nepgear and Uni because of it, and I don't want the same thing to happen to you."

"B-But..." Rom fidgeted with her sleeves. "Do you think it's actually dangerous?"

"I-It's..." Blanc stuttered, before she sighed in defeat. "...I have no idea. We don't even know how this thing works. But since you found it, dropped by that car, it just scared me..."

"Don't worry, big sis!" Ram playfully assured her. "At least the driver didn't see us, when it came through. I hope?"

"R-Ram! Don't joke around like that!" Her twin sister complained.

"What? I'm being serious, they didn't see us, right?"

"I mean, y-yeah, they didn't."

"Good. Until we figure out what this tesseract is, you're not going to touch it." Blanc told her sisters.

"B-But-!"

"No buts." The elder sister demanded, with a serious look on her face. "It's for your own safety."

Before the girls could continue their protest, they were interrupted by the entrance of the Oracle, Mina, who bowed in respect before she approached the trio.

"I apologize if I interrupted something, Lady Blanc." Mina apologized. "Your friends have come to the Basilicom to pay you a visit. They're right outside your office."

"A visit?" Blanc frowned, not expecting her friends to come at this time of the day. "Alright, let them in."

At her command, the Oracle opened the door, allowing Neptune, Noire, Vert, the Candidates, IF and Compa to enter the office. Blanc stood up from her desk to greet them, carefully picking up the tesseract and hiding it in her sleeves.

"Wassup, Blanc!" Neptune greeted.

"Hi Nepgear!" The twins quickly ran up to her, and pulled her into a hug.

"O-Oh hi, Rom and Ram!" Nepgear replied, smiling back at them.

"What are you doing here?"

"Since Mina told Kei that the car has been seen around here, and your nation is on full alert, we decide to come here and help you out." Noire answered.

"Have you found it yet?" IF asked.

"No." Blanc shook her head. "The authorities and the citizens have not seen it anywhere in Lowee. So far, Ram and Rom were the only two witnesses..."

"And where did you find it?" Vert asked the twins.

"We ran into that car in a spooky forest, during our treasure hunt." Ram answered, still looking a little broody. "Can't believe our treasure is a prank, all along..."

"Think we should check the place out?" Uni suggested.

"Probably not." Blanc shook her head, and took the tesseract out of her sleeves. "Because I have something more important to show you."

The girls moved closer to Blanc, for a better look of the weird cube. Mesmerized by its odd beauty and seemingly impossible existence, their expression was a mixture of awe and confusion.

"Is that… a tesseract?" IF asked.

"Looks like one." Blanc nodded. "Uni, is this the same cube that was used to attack you and Nepgear?"

"Wait..." Uni paused before she blurted out. "That's the cube! The same cube the driver threw at us!"

Alarmed by her yell, the girls immediately backed away from the tesseract, which Blanc quickly tossed aside, and the Oracle pulled Rom and Ram away. A loud thud was heard as the cube dropped onto the floor, and everyone scurried behind the desk to take cover.

"Look out!" Noire shouted, expecting it to go off at any second.

…

...

But...nothing happened?

Confused by the silence, they slowly emerged from their cover, carefully approaching the cube like they were still facing an imminent threat. The cube was sitting on the floor, perfectly stationary and motionless. Uni and Nepgear stared at it in puzzlement, unsure why it hadn't gone off yet, like the last time it was deployed in Lastation.

"I-I don't get it?" Uni scratched her head. "Why isn't it doing anything? We're sure that's the right cube!"

"I can't believe it. A 4-dimensional cube!" Nepgear moved in for a closer look, examining its form carefully. "I don't think something like that is supposed to exist. Where did you find it?"

"Rom and Ram found it, dropped from that car. Fortunately, they weren't spotted by the driver."

"Maybe we can use it to track them?" Neptune suggested. "Ya' know, like a GPS tracker?"

"I don't know if it can do that, Neptune..." Blanc shrugged. "We don't even know how this thing works, aside from its ability to knock people out."

"So you're suggesting that we should try to figure out how it works, so we can use it against that car?" Noire replied, and received a nod from Blanc.

"Yes, at least until that car makes an appearance again." Blanc clarified. "Mina, can you prepare some tea for us, while we are working on it?"

"Sure, Lady Blanc." The Oracle bowed to her, before taking her leave from the office.

* * *

_\- Outside the Basilicom_

Skimming their surroundings, the duo aimlessly wandered through the snowy town. Passing by a crowd of strangers in the most populated part of the town, they wavered in and out of alleyways and side streets, until they found themselves in a dead end.

"Damn it!" Linda complained. "There are too many people around."

"Must be a busy day, chu."

Looking around, they noticed that they were at the back of the Basilicom, where they could see the snowy garden with a frozen fountain at its center, and the building in front of it. It seemed to be empty, left unguarded, and, after seeing multiple shadowy figures gathering inside a room, through an uncovered window, the delinquent had an idea.

"Think we should check it out?"

"Are you trying to get us in trouble again, chu?" Warechu sweatdropped.

"Oh come on, give me a break!" Linda groaned. "At least we can check out what they're doing, so we can use our knowledge against them...well, hopefully."

"Mmmh.. That doesn't sound half-bad at all." The rat had an intrigued look on his face, clearly taking a liking to her idea. "Then let's go spy on those chumps, chu!"

Moving into the snowy garden, the duo quietly sneaked their way towards one of the windows, taking great care not to accidently alarm the guards. After they passed through the garden, they took cover in the decorated, finely trimmed bushes that encircled the building.

Keeping their heads low, the duo managed to reach a spot right beneath their target location. Linda decided to peek through the window, lifting Warechu up onto her shoulder for a better view, and, to their surprise, every CPUs and their Candidates was inside the room.

"Woah!" Linda whispered, with a grin on her face. "The whole gang's here! Guess we've hit the jackpot!"

"Oh, and there's my sweet Compa, chu!" Warechu a lovestruck look on his face, with hearts in his pupils and reddened cheeks, truly mesmerized by his beloved nurse.

"Will you cut it out?!" Linda pinched him, and snapped him back to reality. "We come here to eavesdrop, not going all lovey-dovey!"

"R-Right!" The rat shook his head. "Anyway, what's that chump holding?"

"Which chump?" Linda frowned, before she noticed the brown-ish 4-dimensional cube in Blanc's hands. "Hell, I have no idea what that is. But look, this window isn't locked at all. Let's quietly climb in, so we can hear them better."

"Are you crazy, chu?!" Warechu exclaimed, which she paid no attention to, as she pushed open the window. "Uhhh! I hope it doesn't end as badly as our last scheme..."

Slowly pushing on the glass pane, she finally managed to create an opening large enough for them to go through, without garnering anyone's attention. The two troublemakers silently climbed up to the open window, and entered the Basilicom.

Crouching down, they crawled all the way to the desk, using the space underneath as their hiding spot. Even though it was a risky attempt, and Warechu was shaking nervously, they were now inside the room, undiscovered. The pair gave each other a light fistbump, to celebrate their success, before they started to listen to the ongoing conversation.

"Isn't it weirder that the driver somehow got hold of that cube? How did they find it?" Vert asked.

"I mean, yeah. They're clever enough to get rid of Uni and Nepgear, without even battling them." IF said, eyeing the cube with suspicion.

"So you're saying that weird cube thingy is not only able to attack Uni and Nepgear, but also give the bad guy some kind of power?" Compa asked, confused.

"I'm not so sure about that, Compa." Nepgear shook her head. "Whoever the driver is, their driving skills are supreme, like a complete daredevil. They got us, with only a single shot from the cube."

While the conversation continued on, a certain delinquent was grinning in the shadows beneath the desk. Her rat-like companion gave her a weird look, unsure of what lie in her mind.

"Linda?" Warechu asked. "Why are you smiling, chu?"

"Looks like we find a way to get rid of them for good!" Linda whispered into his ears, with a malicious grin on her face. "What if we snatch that cube away, and use it against them! They said that it wrecked those two freaks, with only one attack!"

"And not only that..." Warechu's ears perked up, as he realized what Linda was planning. "We can use its power to restore ASIC's glory, and reclaim the whole Gamindustri, chu!"

"Exactly! Those morons wouldn't see it coming!" She smirked. "Now, just stick close to me, I have a plan to get it out of their hands..."

While the duo were busy scheming, the conversation went on, between Neptune and her sister and friends. Noire seemed quite frustrated that they had not made any progress in figuring out the brown hypercube, and started violently shaking it.

"Come on! Just do something!" She complained.

"Uh, Noire? Isn't it dangerous for you to shake it like that?" Vert gave her a concerned look.

"What? Blanc dropped this thing onto the ground, and nothing happened." Noire replied, still not happy with the lack of response from the cube.

"Well…that's a good point."

"Now that I think about it, maybe there's some sort of password, and the cube doesn't work without it?" Neptune wondered, which caught their attention.

"You mean that guy in the car is the only one who knows how to activate it?" IF rephrased her question.

"Well, Neptune may have a point." Blanc nodded in agreement, as she took the cube from Noire, and placed it back onto her desk. "But since they haven't found the guy, we're stuck without a clue."

"Jeez, can't we just smash it? Doesn't that always work in like, every single video game?" Neptune sighed.

"Sis, this isn't the time to be joking around!" Nepgear scolded her.

"Whaaat? At least have a sense of humor! We need a break from all the stress, right?"

"Nep-Nep! It really isn't funny." Compa agreed.

"Nepu-?!" She gasped. "Y-You too?!"

"Whatever you're trying to do, this is a serious matter, Nep." IF responded. "And smashing the cube could just make things worse. We're not going to destroy it."

"Chill out, guys! I was joking about the smashing part." Neptune sweatdropped.

"Uh, big sis?" Rom asked as she approached Blanc. "C-Can we have our cube thingy back?"

"No." Blanc shook her head. "Not until we-"

She did not finish her sentence. Glancing over to her desk, Blanc realized the cube had disappeared, and she rushed toward the desk in alarm. She searched all around the table, even inside the cabinets, but it was nowhere to be found.

"What the?" Blanc almost cursed in surprise, as the girls gathered around her. "I swear I've put the tesseract here."

"Looking for this?" a familiar voice rang out from behind them.

Behind them stood two individuals. One had gray skin and green hair, wearing a gray jacket with rat-eared hood, carrying an iron pipe on her back. The other was a rat with a heart at the end of its tail. Everyone were familiar with these two figures.

"Underling?!" The girls yelled in surprise.

"Mr. Mouse?" Compa also shouted, though she sounded a lot meeker.

"Hi there, my sweet Compa~!" Warechu cooed, in a high-pitched voice.

"We've been hiding here for awhile, listening to you morons' little chat." The delinquent smirked as she playfully waved the cube around with her hand, "Now, with this thing, we'll be able to bring ASIC back from the ashes! All thanks to you!"

"You haven't learned anything, did you?" IF mocked. "No matter what happens to the CPUs, ASIC will always fall in the end!"

"Yeah!" Neptune exclaimed, with her fist raised up high in the air. "You'll always go down, Underling!"

"Hehe.. Still acting so high and mighty, even when I have a weapon that can knock you out in one go." Linda responded with an evil smile on her face, as she aimed the cube towards them. "I ain't have no time to waste, so I'll end all of you, right here, right now!"

"I'm so sorry for this, my sweet Compa! But I still have my loyalty to ASIC!"

"You meanie!" Compa shouted back.

"Now then..." Linda gloated, before she quickly thrusted the cube towards them. "Take this!"

She was expecting something to happen. Yet there was only dead silence, as the CPUs stared at the two ASIC members, and the cube remained unresponsive. The delinquent glared at the cube in disbelief, and gave it a few shakes before aiming it at the CPUs, again. Still no results. Even her companion had a deadpan expression on his face.

"What the hell?!" Linda cursed. "Why? This piece of junk doesn't do anything!"

"Uhh..." Nepgear broke the awkward silence. "...should we do something?"

"Yeah..." IF nodded as she unsheathed her katars, and the Goddesses also summoned their weapons. "Let's finish this…for her own good."

Frustrated, Linda hurled the cube towards the ground. Grabbing her iron pipe, huffing and puffing, she raised the pipe high up into the air, and smashed it at the cube.

"What a stupid, stupid cube!"

As the pipe made contact with the cube, a powerful shockwave erupted from within the cube, powerful enough to send everyone tumbling backwards. Linda, being closest to the cube, was slammed onto the wall, coughing and wincing as she struggled to get back up.

"Now it works?!" She cried in exasperation.

Vibrating and emitting strange buzzing noises, the tesseract slowly levitated itself off the ground, and starting to spin in midair. The spinning eventually got so violent that the space around it was starting to distort, and the girls could only watch on, shaken to their core by this unbelievable display of power.

"What the hell did you just do?!" Blanc cursed, as she dragged the frightened delinquent up by her collar, and started yelling into her ears.

"I-I may have hit it a little…too hard?" Linda stuttered.

While the noise was getting louder and faster, the very reality around them seemed to glitch out, and the spinning cube was generating a strong current of wind inside the office. They could barely keep their eyes open in this extreme condition.

"Let's get out of here!" Linda exclaimed, as she headed towards the window that they entered from.

"W-Wait for me, chu!" Warechu chased after her.

"Come on, guys!" IF ran towards the office door. "We need to leave, right now, before it gets worse!"

As the parties were desperately trying to escape, IF yanked the door handle, only to realize that it was stuck. Seized with panic, she attempted to force the door open, and gave it a running kick, but the door just would not budge.

"It won't open!" IF yelled.

"Let me handle it." Blanc stepped forth, with her hammer in hand, ready to smash the door. "Hiyaa!"

She did not expect to hit an invisible force field, and was thrown back by the recoil, creating another shockwave that pushed the entire party away from the door. It seemed like escape was impossible, at this point.

"There's no way out..." Uni's face paled.

"Big sister!" The twins screamed, as they hang on tightly to their elder sister. "W-We're scared!"

"Hold on, girls!" Blanc yelled back, embracing her sisters into her arms. "Just stay close to me!"

On the other side of the room, Linda was trying her damndest to pry the window open, but it did not move an inch. In her desperation, she smashed her pipe against the glass, but ended up hitting the same force field, and getting slammed back into the floor.

The glitching was getting more frequent, while the violent wind blast was tearing the furniture apart. Floor tiles beneath the tesseract were starting to crack and disintegrate, now that it had reached top speed and became a blur in their vision, as the party hang onto each other for dear life.

"I-Iffy, I'm scared!" Compa squeezed her eyes shut, grabbing onto IF's arm.

"Don't worry, Compa." IF assured her, as she embraced the frightened nurse. "I got you!"

She did not expect Vert to suddenly pull both of them into a hug, which made her blush.

"L-Lady Vert?!"

"Don't be afraid, my dear Iffy." Vert smiled. "It is the job of the CPU to protect their people."

"W-Well that's true, b-but..." IF stuttered.

"Well, guess I'm right all along..." Neptune chuckled nervously. "Smashing the cube does make it work, just like in video games!"

"W-Why you little-!" Noire turned back to scream at Neptune, as she tried to hold onto Uni in the howling wind.

"S-Sis! Wait-!"

The floor had almost entirely disappeared, and it only took a few seconds for the last few tiles to glitch out of existence, sending the girls tumbling into the endless black void beneath. Things were flickering in and out of existence, ripped into a vortex of simple colors as they fell, and, to their horror, they found that their bodies were starting to distort, too.

"What the hell is happening to us?!" Linda exclaimed, her voice almost drowned out by heavy static noise, and stretched to an unnaturally high pitch.

"I-I don't know, chu!" Warechu yelled back in a hoarse, deep voice, clearly suffering from the same distortion.

Eventually, a bright light could be seen, at the end of the void, getting closer and closer to the girls. Screaming for their lives, they closed their eyes...

And everything went black.

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Lowee_

Mina was on her way to bring the tea to her Goddess. Calmly walking through the hallway with a tray full of teacups in her hands, she arrived in front of the office. Before she could ask them to open the door, she saw a bright light, coming out from below the door, along with weird, wobbly sounds. Feeling unsettled, she took a step back, away from the door, unsure if it was safe for her to approach.

"Lady Blanc?" Mina called out. "Is everything alright in there?"

The strange phenomenon came to an abrupt stop; the light dimmed away, and the sound faded into dead silence. Worried about the lack of response, she cautiously approached the door, which swung open on its own, allowing her to catch a glimpse of the inside of the room.

"O-Oh dear!" The Oracle cried out in shock as she dropped the tray in her hands, causing the cups to shatter, and spilling tea all over the floor.

The office was completely obliterated, the paint on the wall burnt away, exposing the bricks and steel skeletons beneath. There were no signs of Lady Blanc and her companions, and the only thing left inside the room were fallen debris, scattered around a giant cube-shaped hole in the floor.

* * *

**Well that is the first chapter of my fan-fiction, I do apologize if this single chapter is too long for you to read though.**


	2. Welcome to Gamindustri!

**Author's Notes: **Another chapter made for the release of _RetroDimension Neptunia_. If there's some issues within the writing, please do let me know through the review.

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Lowee_

Next day since the incident, a heavy investigation is currently in progress that around the outskirts of the building were heavily guarded by both the authorities and the Guild members. People of all nationalities were present in the scene, mostly composing of investigators along with the volunteers, inspecting around the destroyed part of the Basilicom, which used to be the office.

It was a morbid incident since then, not only the sudden attack of the Lowee's Basilicom but also the disappearance of the CPUs and the other girls within it. Team of investigators were restlessly inspecting and searching around to find any clues that led to this event but so far, they are no single trace to it.

The oracles, Histoire, Kei, Mina, and Chika, were all present in the investigation. After countless of people within the building interviewed, Mina is the only witness that happened to it.

"I was there in the office before Lady Blanc requested me to bring cups of tea for Neptune and others." she told her story, "It took awhile for me to prepare them before I head back."

"And how then the incident happened, milady?" the head investigator asked, writing her story down to his notes.

"I don't know how it happened because I'm just outside of the room.." she continued, "Seeing a bright light under the door and hearing weird, wobbly sound from that office."

"So you're at the outside of the office when it happened right? You didn't enter inside then?"

"I didn't because I thought it would be dangerous." Mina continued, "I thought Lady Blanc and the other CPUs had it under control until everything went silent. I tried to call Lady Blanc but she didn't answered back.

It was then I carefully opened the door and… that is how it happened.."

"Hmm, alright then, milady." the investigator nodded, "Right now, our men don't have the proper equipment for it but we can try to check it through the satellite. We don't have access to it yet though. Until we granted permission by the authorities, we should be able to do so by the next day."

"I understand, thank you."

Heading on to his duties afterwards, soon the oracles approaching close to her, watching the ruined office under investigation in front of them.

"So this is what happened.." Kei asked, "Both Noire and Uni were there when it happened right?"

"I'm pretty sure all the CPUs got caught to it." Mina sighed, "I can't believe this happened.."

"P-Please tell me my dear Vert is okay?!" Chika worried with her heart beats in panic, "I hope she's not dead and survived in this disaster!"

"C-Calm down, Chika! Believing them being dead makes it even worse! Just take a deep breath."

"I g-guess you're right, Mina.. I hope she doesn't get caught in a blast.."

"Also, if this is caused by a blast, then why the debrises around here were shaped like a cube?" Kei asked as she picked up a small, cubic debris that fits in her palm, "I believe this incident is more than a simple explosion."

"What makes it that led to this in the first place?" Histoire asked, "Did the girls have something that caused this incident?"

"I don't know.. The only thing I believe being the culprit of it, is the brown-looking hypercube that the girls found."

"A brown-looking hypercube?" Chika confused, "What's that?"

"The same cube that attacked Nepgear and Uni back in Lastation. I don't know what it is, but the girls have been trying to figure it out how to use."

"Also.." Kei called, "If that's the same weapon that the driver used, then where did you find it?"

"At the empty forest where Rom and Ram have their treasure hunt. The girls said that they found it dropped from the car."

"A brown-ish hypercube?" Histoire recalled, barely knew it, "Hold on, I might be familiar with it."

"You knew?" Kei asked.

"Probably, but I need some time to recall about it from my memory.."

"Go figure." Chika expected, "Also, where were you during the destruction around Planeptune?"

"Sleeping." she calmly responded, "Took a rest after Neptune took over the office. I didn't expect that incident to happen out of nowhere."

"No wonder why Neptune is on the call." Kei figured, confusing the Planeptune's oracle about it.

"Huh? You called her?"

"I picked up the phone to try to call you from your office, but I didn't expect the CPU to be on the line instead. Seems to be such a rare occassion."

"Of course it is.." she breathed out, expelling her exhaustion from the lazy goddess' previous shenanigans, "It is rare for her to actually work on her desk, wished she'll act more responsible."

"Alright then, but aren't we supposed to be worried by it?" Chika cuts off, "If the CPUs were gone, it'll leave the entire Gamindustri defenseless!"

"The teams around here were close to our authorities, being low profile from the public." Kei informed, "People may not know about it until the information was leaked."

"About the monsters, I'm sure the Guilds will handle it although it'll take some time for them before they asked us where they are." Mina added, "Even worse, stronger monsters may appear as they couldn't handle it without in large group."

"Right now, keeping this private is the only way to keep the world safe. If it goes public, then ASIC might spring back to life.

Now if you excuse me, I have to go back to the Basilicom so I can look about it right away." Histoire ended before taking her leave from the oracles.

Continuing watching the ruined office in investigation, came nothing to their mind regarding the incident. Kei, closely inspecting the odd cubic-shaped debris on her hand, starts to wonder.

"You think this is an attack, right?" asked Kei, hypothesizing to the cause of it.

"No, it's more that they finally figured it out how to use it." Mina said otherwise, "But well… not in a good way.."

* * *

Waking up with seeing the clear, blue sky above, along with the leaves being swayed by the wind. Feeling a cold sense of touch from the smooth, wavy water that travels around the body, lying in the middle of a shallow river.

"Ughh.." It was Neptune, grumbled from her rough sleep during her unconscious, "W-What happened? Where am I?"

Slowly rising up from the water, feeling her clothes damped in wet. Although she felt frustrated by it, she must get her grip with the situation she is in.

"Awww, c'mon!" she whined, "Of all places, why do I have to be in the middle of the river?!"

In her whine, before she noticed another figure beside her. A girl with a black hair, along with twintails, that wore in her black, maid-like dress. A familiar figure sleeping in front of her before she realized, perking up.

"Noire!" the purple-haired girl called as she knelt before her, trying to wake her up with her hands shaking her, "Hey, wake up!"

"Ugh.." she grumbled, slowly regaining her conscious back to life, "W-What happened?"

"Oh I don't know.. Like we fell from a deep, dark hole before we fell in a very bright light?"

"Huh?" she slowly stood up from the ground with her dress damped, feeling cold, "Why do I feel something cold around me? W-Wait… wah?!"

Realizing her clothes soaked in wet, immediately slapped Neptune right to her face. Covering her breasts and her groin with her arms thanks to the river, revealing most of her body through her soaked clothes.

"Nepu-?!" shocked her from her unexpected slap, marking her hand on her cheek.

"Y-You, p-pervert!" Noire furiously exclaimed, embarrassed, "H-How did I ended up getting myself wet and my clothings, they all got soaked wet!"

"Woah woah, calm down!" Neptune shook her hands, gesturing her to calm down, "Don't blame me for it! I also got wet too! Look at me!"

Glancing over her, as she got wet too, some time later the black-haired teen calmed down with her breathing out of her exhaustion. Seeing back to her, she called.

"Jeez.. I can't believe that this happened to us.."

"Well, at least we didn't get hurt or anything." she chuckled, scratching her back, "Where are we by the way?"

"Looks like we're in a forest." Noire glances around, seeing the clean, lushful environment, "I guess someone haven't touched this part of the forest."

"And we don't know a way out of this forest." Neptune added, "Guess this is a call for our HDD Drive!"

She stood still as she concentrated with her transformation. Concentrating for awhile, nothing happened to her.

"Huh?" she confused, "I can't transform?"

"Me neither!" Noire also followed, seems like she is having the same trouble along with her, "I can't transform as well!"

"Well, apparently that cube made us travel to different dimension, so that's one thing we learn."

"Damn it.." she silently complained before she noticed something missing with them, "Also, where are the others?"

"I don't know." Neptune shrugged, looking around before she realized, "We must've split up during our fall, it's a good thing that we're here together!"

"It better be, I had enough with your shenanigans.."

"Hey!" she complained, "At least have a sense of humor from me so you wouldn't be complaining!"

"In your dreams!" Noire retorted before focusing back on their situation, "Anyway, we should get out of here right now."

"To where?" Neptune asked, "We don't know a way to a city, town, or any home."

"We'll just wander around, idiot!" Noire responded back before she chose a direction to go, "I'll be the lead so let's go over there."

"You can't do that! I'm the main protagonist so I'm the one who should be the lead!"

"We're not in the canon series, so shut up."

"Nepu-?!" she surprised, "T-That's my line!"

With Neptune's bickering continues on, the duo's search for their friends began, venturing through the deep part of the woods. Fortunately there were no monsters in their way. As determined as they are, being the start of their new adventure in this unfamiliar replica of their world.

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Planeptune (Hyper Dimension)_

During the midst of the night, seeing the office in such a big mess. Papers were scattered around the floor, books were thrown into places unevenly with the oracle searching something important to her hand.

"Come on!" frustrated Histoire, "Just where is it?"

Continuing to move back and forth between the shelves and the messy floor, with papers and books were scattered throughout the room. Carelessly piling up the whole office with it, though Histoire have something more important than the office.

Skimming through every page of the book she looked upon, not happy with her answer not found in it thus she threw on to the floor. This became a continuous cycle of her search, looking every single history book in the shelves she saved throughout the history of Gamindustri.

"I don't get it?" sighed in defeat, "Where it could've be? I know that I've heard it to my memory, if I recalled.."

Facepalmed with her hopelessness, feeling ready to give up until something peculiar at the very back of the shelves, seen from her glance.

"Huh? What's that?" asked Histoire to herself, reaching out to the book before she picked up for closer inspection.

It is a very dusty book with a leathery cover that has been sitting there for a long time, hidden behind the other books. Noticing its papers were completely yellowed out for unknowingly how long, must be indicated that this old book has been around for such a long time if not be more than centuries since.

It is the last book that the oracle picked up from the shelves and judging by its old, decaying appearance, brought her hope back along with the smile from her face.

"This must be it!" smiled Histoire, "The information about the tesseract must be written in here."

Opening the book, reveals far more details than she anticipated. Not only with the tesseract but also other parts of the history that she is not familiar with, has existed through before her. Aside wanting to read more of these, she focused back to the details she needed about the tesseract.

Reading through, the tesseract is not only just a weapon but actually happened to be such a relic that has existed since the book is written. However, something about it has gave the oracle in a grave state.

"Oh no.."

* * *

_\- Forest, Unknown (?)_

"I'm surprised that you have your wooden sword already just in case." Noire surprised.

"Just in case? It's already been around in my pocket since day one!" smiled Neptune, "Ya know, like those in every RPG games?"

"Is your pocket that big or it is a blackhole?" she facepalmed, "Also stop with your 4th wall-breaking shenanigans!"

"Whaaat?" the purple-haired girl shrugged, "I've always been that way, so?"

"Ugh, whatever!" she frustrated, continuing to walk through the woods.

It's been an hour since the girls left from where they started. Cutting through the thick grasses with Neptune's trusty sword in their way. Although they were exhausted, there is no point to rest in a forest that may be full of monsters around, already trying to find shelter before dusk in this dimension.

Slashing through back and forth, until Neptune managed to reach through the end before seeing something in her path.

"What is it, Nep?" the black-haired teen asked.

"Looks like we're in a park."

A one last slash to make a full path for the two. Emerging from the grasses, seeing a clean, lively park before their eyes. Although there's something odd for the two, the path were made of rectangular stone blocks, every street lights were more outdated compared back in Hyper dimension, and even with the people's fashion.

"Woah!" Neptune surprised, "Everything looks so old fashion here! Could use some refurnish around."

"You think?" called Noire as she is still behind the grasses, covering herself, "My clothes didn't get dry enough and my body is too revealed because of it!"

"Awww jeez'.." Neptune sweatdropped with a chuckle, scratching her back, "Hehe, you still really care huh?"

"Uhh, are you two okay?" a voice asked worriedly, "You two might catch a cold if you stayed wet for long.."

Glancing to where the voice called, seeing a teen girl standing in front of them, a pale girl with a red, long hair with her eye colour that matches her hair. Wearing a plain, casual one-piece dress under her unbuttoned, woolly coat that lengths up to her hips, both clothing with the same color, followed by her court shoes in the darker color. Looking at Neptune and Noire with a worried look, sweat-dropping with her smile kept on her face.

"It's just nothing to worry about, hehe." Neptune chuckled, "But yeah, we really appreciate it."

"Not at all!" she nodded with a smile, "Judging by you and your friend's clothing, you two were foreigners, right?"

"Uhh.." confused Neptune, unsure of what she meant, "Y-Yeah! We're kinda lost so we have no other places to go or to stay.."

"Oh dear.." the teen girl sympathized, "Well.. How about I bring you two to my apartment? That should be where you'll be staying for awhile."

"Really?!" Neptune perked up, "Well thank you then! We really appreciate it, but uhh… my friend of mine doesn't want to get out of the bush because some perverts may look at her like-"

"N-Nep!" Noire angrily shouted, embarrassed.

"I-I see then.." she sweatdropped before something came in her mind, picking something up from her bag, "Oh yeah, I actually bought a coat just this day when I'm shopping! I don't know if it'll fit, but it's enough to cover you!"

Simply handing her newly-bought coat to Noire with a smile on her face. Though Noire hesitated for some time, until she finally took the coat for her to wear. Appreciating it though she felt bad for their trouble.

"T-Thank you.. But is it really okay for you?"

"Yep." she smiled, "Not like there's something important for me to wear it right now.'"

"Okay then." Noire understood before was cut off.

"Oh, by the way! What's your name? I kinda forgot to ask you that, hehe.." Neptune chuckled.

"My name is Tecmo."

"Sup Tec'! The name's Neptune and my friend over here is Noire."

"It's nice meeting with you, Tecmo." Noire greeted.

"You too but uhh… I don't remember anyone calling me Tec instead of my usual name.."

"Well, Nep usually has a habit of calling someone's name in a shortened way. I apologize for that."

"Oh, no!" Tecmo sweatdropped, "Not at all! I actually like that name, it's kinda cute."

"See Noire?" her friend smirked, "There's nothing wrong calling them by their nickname."

"Except that you called her that out of sudden. Sometimes, it can be insulting especially those who you haven't met."

"Said by a girl who doesn't have a friend."

"W-What did you say?!" Noire complained

"Oh dear!" Tecmo surprised after she noticed the time, cutting off Noire's complaint "It's about to get late, we should be in a hurry right now. I have my friend waiting for me."

"Alrighty then!" Neptune joyfully understood, "Maybe we should continue after we've arrived in your home?"

"Sure." she simply nodded.

With the sun starts to settle, the girls were on their way to the apartment where they will stay. It was fortunate for Neptune and Noire to get a place to live for awhile, though still unfamiliar with the place they're in right now with everything were seemingly looking old and new to their eyes.

* * *

_\- Downtown, ? (?)_

"Woah!" surprised Neptune, "Everything looks so jazzy 'round here!"

Roaming through the busy streets of a city that were uncommon for them. Every building were built in either Brutalist or Googie architectural style, constructed with simple bricks. Signs and banners around were more of either papers or woods, coated plainly in white along being written in a fancy calligraphy, instead of LED screens around which they were more familiar with back in their dimension.

As usual back in the park, with pedestrians' fashion that may be odd for them, walking on their day. Cars were also around though far more different than they expect, having more rougher shapes and simpler designs to even some cars they glanced over resembles more like a wagon.

"Music around here were kinda different too.." Noire wondered, "I thought pop songs would be more common around here than jazz.."

"I guess you must be living somewhere rural before you came here, right?"

"Y-Yeah, you could say that." Neptune sweatdropped, "Oh yeah, where are we by the way?"

"We're in the downtown of Planeptune, right now."

The name alone stopped the two of them, stood being frozen out of shock. While Tecmo is left confused, remain them with their mind boggled within.

'T-This is Planeptune?!" shocked the purple-haired girl, 'Why everything here looks so different?!"

'Not even in Ultradimension, Planeptune wouldn't look this… old.. Just what dimension are we now?!'

"Uhh.. Neptune and Noire?" Tecmo confused, "Are you two okay? You girls just suddenly stopped for awhile."

"O-Oh! It's nothing! Me and Noire just didn't know we're in Planeptune."

"You didn't know?"

"W-Well." Noire stuttered, "We just got lost from our travel, that is!"

"Okay then.. Well, we can talk about back at my home and right now, we're close to it. Shouldn't be a further blocks away."

"That's a relief." Neptune sighed, "It's a good thing we're close or else I'll passed out. It's just my hoodie's killing me from how wet it is!"

"We'll get there in no time, so come on." Tecmo cheered, "But don't scare me like that ever again."

As the girls chuckled by it, nevertheless they now knew that they were in a different dimension, confirming it. Though only Neptune and Noire knew that answer, it still remain unclear for the other, missing girls. While the girls were walking to Tecmo's apartment, the two wanders how their friends and sisters are in this state, not only they were seperated but also the sun soon settled to dusk, might be dangerous if they haven't caught a place to stay.

* * *

_\- ?_

Somewhere around a snowy forest with beautiful snowflakes softly rained from the sky, covered by a pale gray clouds that barely covered the whole. With winter engulfed the cold land, along with a chilling breeze that travels through the woods.

"It is such a gorgeous sight to see, Blanc." a familiar voice called, ecstatic by the wonderful view around the cold environment, "You could've told me about this beautiful forest for a tour."

"Shut up, Thundertits. Not like I know this place before."

Both girls were roaming through the woods, seemingly lost in the depth of the snowy forest. Trees standing high to the sky that overshadows them, leaves and branches covered in snow, and the sun that soon settles into the ground from the horizon.

"We're must be still in Lowee but… I don't remember any parts of its forest were this dense.." speculated Blanc calmly.

"So it could be we're in Ultradimension, then? What else part of Gamindustri with any forest so dense?"

"I don't know, but if it is Ultradimension, we could have already seen the capital just by looking around, but no."

"Oh dear.." frowned the busty lady, "Not only we've lost our CPU form but also unsure where we are."

"I hope my little sisters were okay.."

Continued to roam through the woods unknowingly, soon followed by darkness that slowly consumes the land by the setting sun. Nowhere to stay, desperately looking for a shelter to keep safe. As the wind becoming colder to their pale skin, by an inch of hope to head on against the freezing winter.

"Damn it!" Blanc cursed as she shivers, "We could get ourselves freeze to death here! Where the hell we should go?!"

And with a pinch of hope left, soon found miracle before their eyes..

"Look!" her friend called, pointing at a trail of smoke rising from the sky, "There's something smoking over there. Maybe that's where we could find a place to stay."

"Good, at least we're lucky. Let's go."

"But wouldn't it-?"

"It's a better risk than having ourselves turn into a frozen statue, come on."

Even though Vert sighed with her blunt response, well it's no better than be froze to death in the middle of an unknown taiga. Being the only option, the girls spent no time to follow the trail of smoke from the sky, heading to its direction. As closer as they go, so as the warmth and the light comforted them to their front.

Finally emerges out of the deep woods, now in front of them is a rural town, composing of small and medium wooden houses built in a Japanese architectural style. With simple and plain decorating around. Torches seems to be the only source of light and heat around the town, far from how the girls expected to be.

And seeing the cause of the smoke, came from a large torch cauldron that sits in the middle of the town, stays completely unaffected despite the freezing climate around.

People were still around in this early evening, wearing rough, plain yukata as their casual attire. With children joyfully playing around the snow by either throwing snowballs, building snowmen, or playing tags around the deep, mushy snow. The town is protected by a small group of town guards, simply wearing lighter equipment such as a chain armor, gauntlets, helmet, and a kind of spear on their grip called yari.

As the girls traverse around the town, being watched by the locals around, in awe for their unusual attire that is foreign to their eyes. Although the locals were cautious with children returning back to their parents and the guardsmen carefully watching over them.

"What town is this?" Vert whispered, "Think this is still Lowee?"

"If we're in Ultradimension, I don't remember parts of it would be this rural.. Even back home, it's way too dull to even exist around."

"Oh dear.. Guess we're really lost, huh. How about we should ask the locals around."

"We can do that but..." answered Blanc, winces over the people around, "..these people looking at us as if we were aliens around."

"Oh don't be like that, Blanc~!" the blonde-haired goddess chuckled, "I'm sure they must've lived here for long, hidden away from society. I mean look at them, it should be obvious right?"

"I guess so.." she sighed, "So come on, let's ask where we are before finding a place to stay."

"Oh absolutely, of course." Vert nodded, "It is getting dark after all."

Unsure of which one they would ask for since they were a lot of locals around them, as cautious as ever. It was then until an elderly man emerges out from the crowd to approach the goddesses, presumably the chieftain of the town.

"It's unusual for such strangers from the outside world to come here." the elder spoke, intrigued by their presence, "Now what you ladies came here for?"

'The hell is an outside world?' confused Blanc.

"We wanted to know where we are, since we got lost in the woods." Vert asked.

"It seems that you've got a rough tour then.." the elder shook his head, "You ladies were in the rural parts of Lowee in the northern-eastern region. The locals around were in awe with seeing foreigners judging by your attire in the town so I do apologize if it disturbs you."

"Oh not at all! Looks like everyone here haven't explored this 'outside world' you call." Vert continued albeit confused with the term.

"Well our goddess here made a rule that no foreigners shouldn't be allowed in any parts of Lowee except for the capital, so as our people cannot leave outside our nation."

"Wait, a goddess?" Blanc recalled.

"You never heard the CPU of Lowee before, that's odd of you.."

"W-Well, me and my friend hasn't been really paid attention to anything what is happening in Gamindustri."

"I see.. Well, aside from that, is there anything else you wanted to ask?"

"Me and my friend wanted to get a place to stay for this night since we got lost. Is there any place for us to stay?" Blanc asked.

"Well certainly." the elder nodded, "A friend of mine has a tavern just in this town. It is the most popular tavern for adventurers and wanderers in Lowee after all."

"Ah, that's lovely! We really appreciate your kind offer." Vert smiled.

"It is what I do, after all! Just let me and my fellow guardsmen guide you to the tavern so I can let my old friend know about it."

With the girls being grateful for the chieftain's help, continued on heading to the tavern along with his guardsmen. Though his guards remain skeptical about the girls and his decision, Nonetheless, it seems that the elder has a big of heart for those in need.

* * *

Arriving in front of the tavern, built in both wood and stone with its architecture resembles to every building around. However, it has more beautiful and attractive decoratives that makes it stand. Paper lanterns hanging from the roots, well-trimmed bushes around the tavern, and the sign that welcomes the adventurers inside.

"This is it." the chieftain told, "You ladies stay here while I will talk my friend about your stay. My guards would remain in stand so they'll look after you for awhile."

"I understand." nodded Blanc.

Blanc and Vert sitting on the bench with the chieftain walked inside to the tavern. Few spear-armed guardsmen on their post around them, as ordered by their chieftain. While waiting, they have enough time for them to view around the town.

Paths were cleaned off from the deep snow, every house were built in wood, and the locals were buying around the shops in this night. The girls wonder if they were even in either dimensions they've mentioned before, with this part of Lowee is too under-developed for it to be around, even with the term "outside world" which is unusual for the girls.

Even for a rural town, it is quite a sight for the girls, to be astonished by its clean, gorgeous houses and pathways despite the simplistic, plainly-colored looks built traditionally. It is far from be compared to other Lowees in terms of its technology, architecture, and its society.

"I wonder if this is Lowee." Vert wondered, "Even if the town looks quite poor, still has such a luxurious view to my eyes!"

"I, too, thought this is Lowee from Ultradimension because of how they were similarly built. But judging from the society and technology around, we're kinda far off from it."

While speculating about their whereabouts, ended after the chieftain left from the tavern. Followed by his guardsmen, walking to the girls with a gleeful smile on his face.

"Well then, that's it." he nodded, "My old friend has prepared a vacant room for you two to rest. And don't worry about the expenses, I already have them paid for this night."

"My! you're too kind." Vert giggled.

"Wouldn't mind be flattered, anyway." he chuckled, "But however, after this night, you girls must head back to the capital or else you will be apprehended by the authorities around. A law is a law."

"But we don't know where the capital is." shrugged Blanc.

"There is a path that leads back over there at the south-west, but I'll prepare a wagon for it tomorrow. I heard that there would be an inspection conducted by the authorities around the town."

"But what about them?" she pointed at the guardsmen.

"Eh… They were just our militias around the local. They were here to protect outside of the authorities' supervision. Never gave us weapons for us to protect, so we've built it ourselves from everything we have."

"I see then.." Blanc understood, "Well, it's been a night so we really thank you for-"

"Help!" cried a woman's voice, "There are bandits robbing me!"

"Damn it!" one of them cursed, "It wouldn't have happened if you just kept that woman's mouth shut!"

"Me?! It's your fault for picking me to hold her! You're even stronger than me so-!"

"Enough with the bickers, you two!" seems like the bandit leader exclaimed before facing back to their victim, "Just give us your damn credits and we're done with it!"

"Hold it right there, criminal scums!" the guardsmen halted, wielding their spears as they surrounded the bandits, "Either drop down your weapons or else we'll take action with pain against you!"

"Hehe, you want pain?" chuckled the bandit leader with their blades unsheeted, "Then we give 'em at ya!"

Tension grew within the middle of the town as Blanc and Vert were watching the scene along with the locals around, between the spearmen and the bandits with their weapon held steadily, aiming one to another. Though the life of the woman is at stake, does not hold the girls back from witnessing the upcoming battle.

"What should we do?" whispered Blanc, "We can't materialize our weapons since we're cut off back from our dimension?"

"We can't just stay here and watch, we must help her!" Vert complained, "Sir, mind if we intervene to this such act against the criminals?"

"B-But it's too dangerous!" the elder stuttered, "We cannot have another human have their lives in danger."

"We're not simply humans." Blanc simply said before she called at two of the guardsmen, raising her tone, "Hey you!"

"U-Uh yeah?"

"Give us your weapons."

"But it is-!"

"I said give them to us, god damnit!"

Apparently cowers in fear, the cowardly guardsmen surrendered their spears to the girls. Although she was not happy with the type of weapon she obtained, still it is enough for Vert since it is her favorite choice of weapon.

"Now then, it is our time to save someone's life like usual."

"Shut up, Vert." annoyed Blanc, "Enough with your talk and lets just get this over with."

Approaching towards the scene with the confused guardsmen in action step aside for the two. They were warned by the guardsmen although the girls didn't listen to their orders. Now, the tension grew more with the guardsmen step aside by the two, worrying the elder, locals, and the guards around.

"Heh, what's those girls with a funny-looking clothes they got?" one of them mocked.

"Looks like a foreigner from the outside world. Bet they have better jewelries than this bitch!"

"Ladies!" called the chieftain, "It's too dangerous for you two, and let the guards handle-!"

"Shut up, you old punk!" cursed Blanc, "Don't act like you know us better!"

Proudly aiming their blades towards them, with a lustful taste of greed awaits to their wealth. Carefully watches over them, with their continuous mockery against them, expecting to be better targets for credits.

"Ain't ya looking too busty for a fight, lady?" smirked before the rest laughed.

"Trying to play a heroine huh? Hehe, how cocky are you two to act like one?"

"Of course.. People like you always act like they know how to fight." sighed the busty goddess, "Guess we'll give you a lesson, then."

"Don't act so proudly against us!" angered one of them while dashing towards her, with the tip of his blade aimed at her chest.

Attempting to pierce his blade through, caught in deflect by her spear's shaft, swiftly spun it against his blade. Surprised by it, he attempted to recover his stance until he unfortunately got jabbed by her shaft again, lunges toward his side that made him flew to the wall with a brute force.

Knocked out unconscious, as the whole people became shocked in surprise, unexpecting her sheer strength that made overwhelmed her opponent with ease. Fondly twirling her spear around her body, along with her stance that intimidated her foes.

"I may be busty, but it is my elegance of mine to fight." she chuckled, "Who were those who knew how to fight again?"

"Tch, you bastard.."

Charging his blade against his foe with an intent to kill. Running as loud as his battle cry, taking his pride away in turning berserk against her despite their abnormal strength to the bandits. By his swing of the blade with all the strength he brought, ended in a block by Blanc's weapon out of sudden, barely even moved it.

"Still acting so tough, huh?" she mocked, "Guess you really underestimated us just because we're girls.."

"The hell you're talking 'bout, little girl?! Just die!"

Unknowingly for them, calling her little would be mean writing a death note for their lives.

"What did you call me?!" glared Blanc, nearly her whole face is overshadowed with a red, glowing death stare at her eye, "Does a 'little girl' do this?!"

Violently bashing her foe right up to his chest with her spear's shaft, with tremendous force that is not comparable to Vert's along with him flew far from the group. Although he fortunately landed in a soft spot, there is no telling whether he survived from Blanc's attack that made him out of conscious.

The bandit leader is the remaining suspect left in the scene. Feeling Blanc's sinister aura around her, would apparently already shattered him. Now feared by the girls, with his only escape is to threatened them by holding hostage the victim, carefully putting his blade on her throat.

"Hehe, y-you fools!" he smirked while fear consumed him, "You think you can simply stop me in this way? Well, think again!"

"H-Help!"

"How cowardly you are!" disgusted Vert.

"Oh now you lost your guts to fight, huh? Really shows who you are."

"Shut up, you damn bastards!" retorted the leader, "Call me a coward if you wanted, but I'll take anything necessary even if it would contradict me! Words meant nothing, only action were-!"

Boastly mocking them until he was cut short by a guardsman from the back, left him unconscious. Blinded when he was overly focused on the girls that made him openly vulnerable from other parties. The woman is saved, unharmed before she thanked the guard and the girls.

"T-Thank you! Thank you!" she genuinely thanked multiple times, constantly bowing her head in form of respect.

"Well it is our task to help the people, after all." Vert smiled.

"No problem." Blanc simply said.

Taken down the suspects unconditionally, has led to applaud of the crowd around them while the guards were left confused, in awe of the girls' capabilities.

"Are they fighters?"

"Are they even humans? No one would have that sheer amount of strength!"

"Hmm.." thought the elder, "Unless…"

* * *

_\- Tavern_

"Bwahaha! Guess my ol' friend is right about letting you gals in!"

Chuckled the keeper of the tavern as they were celebrating for their heroic effort. Boozes laid on every table, laughs and joys of people around the room with some left drunk on their seat. Blanc and Vert were at their seat in front of the bar, the loud and rowdy crowd around them. It sure must be like a holiday in this night.

"I-I guess so.." Vert sweatdropped.

"Hm? Ya said that your task is to help the people around, right?"

"Uhh, yeah?"

"What are ya working as, then? A cop?" asked the keeper while casually drinking his beer.

"As the CPU of Leanbox, of course."

"And I'm also the CPU of Lowee." Blanc added.

In surprise, the keeper spat his drink out and coughed, something that he didn't expect from them. While the girls were left confused, then Blanc asked the keeper.

"Are you alright?"

He didn't respond because from his cough. It took a moment for him to clear his throat up, repeating what the girls said.

"Both of you were the CPUs of Lowee and Leanbox?" he pointed at them.

"That's right."

"How about we should talk about this in private, okay?"

"Uhh, okay?" left them confused.

Gesturing the girls to follow him, walking their way to an empty room where the people around them could not able to hear them. Unsure why about it though, after they entered through, the keeper shut the door and clearing his throat out before he asks them one more time.

"Are you sure both of you were CPUs?"

"Of course we are! What, you're not believing us we were?" complained Blanc.

"I mean, you girls' odd clothing is one thing but from what I witnessed, having an unnatural strength that people around couldn't do is another, of course I'm believing it!"

"Then what's this all-?" Vert asked before she got cut off.

"Listen, if the day comes tomorrow, then you need to get out of here fast!"

"We have already planned to leave to the capital tomorrow." pointed Vert.

"No, that's even worse!" shook his head in disbelief, "I mean you need to get out of Lowee!"

"What are you even talking about?" confused Blanc, "If you're talking about the authorities around Lowee, we can easily fend them off ourselves."

"Not just them, but the CPU too!"

"Wait, why would the CPU would go after us?!" surprised Vert.

"You don't even know what's going on around Gamindustri, do you huh?"

Confused to what he meant, while Vert asks Blanc if she have any idea only to left with a shrug. For some time later with no idea, shooking their head to the keeper before admitting their whereabouts.

"No, because we are never meant to be here.." Vert admitted, "We are supposed to be from a different dimension but something happened that made us warped into this world. I'm sure our friends were also out there too."

"Well, of all the places I've traveled around Gamindustri, surely telling that you were too different to be here in the first place.." he scratches his head.

"Just cut to the chase already, what's going on?" demanded Blanc.

"Gamindustri right now is in a hot-boiling situation. The Console War around here became more aggressive since the first war."

"What do you mean?"

"The CPUs were always in a war at each other. No diplomacy, just all-out fight against each other without hesitation, especially in Lowee." he explained, "If you call yourself a CPU of Lowee, of course people will call you out as an imposter but now since you've revealed your true strength, they'll warn the CPU about you two."

"Maybe I can talk this out to her? I'm sure she'll-" suggested Blanc.

"No can do." cut her off, "The lady does not take kindly to foreigners and the CPUs. I don't know what dimension you were talking about but this Lowee is a hermit kingdom, it remains unknown to the outside. If you're at least going to be reasonable with her, the only option is to fight against her."

"But since we've lost our CPU form, there's no way we can able to beat against her." feared Vert.

"Until your power comes back, it's safe for you two to not show yourself as a CPU then.."

"But then why you're helping us even if we were foreign CPUs?" Blanc asked in confusion.

"Since you've saved someone back at the incident, it is my gratitude to help you two." he explained before something reminded him back, pointing at Vert, "Wait, what CPU are you again?"

"Leanbox."

"Guess that really confirmed you two being in a different world, then.."

"Huh?" she confused, "Why is that so?"

"Because Leanbox doesn't exist."

The busty goddess is appalled by the nonexistence of Leanbox in this world, knelt before the ground with the dreaded face while Blanc comforting her.

"W-Why Lowee exists but not my own nation..?" she cried quietly.

"There, there." Blanc nonchalantly comforted her, patting her back.

* * *

_\- Downtown, Planeptune (?)_

Arrived in the apartment, with Neptune and Noire following Tecmo while she greeted with her fellow neighbours. Walking up through the staircase, took them several floors before they arrived to Tecmo's room. Exhausted from their journey, now Neptune and Noire with their smile from their anticipation to finally rest eagerly. Tecmo knocked on the door before a voice called.

"Who is it?" called from the room.

"It's me, Tecmo." she responded.

Without hesitation, the door being unlocked before opened with a figure in front of them. A girl with short brown hair as she is around the same height of Neptune, wearing a plain white sleeveless shirt under her unbuttoned safari jacket that is colored in khaki, and a skirt with the same color. She also wore a black, leathery boots over her thick black stockings that lengths up to her knees, and a light-brown pith helmet on her head.

"You're late, what's up with that?" she asked Tecmo before she noticed the other two beside her, "Also, who are they?"

"Oh them? She's Neptune and she's Noire." she pointed before she introduces the girl, "Neptune and Noire, meet Koei. She's a roommate of mine in our room."

"Sup' Koei!" Neptune gleefully introduced.

"Hi there." Noire simply introduced, "I hope you don't mind with us staying here."

"Wait what?" she confused, "Tecmo, what's going on?"

"Oh! Well, both of them got lost at the park so they have no other places to stay so.."

"We apologize if we're causing trouble with you-"

"No no, it's fine!" Koei sweatdropped, "Just let me fix the room for a bit, it's a bit... messy.."

Entering their room, followed by a bizarre view with papers littered throughout the room, composing of maps, books, and notes. Neptune and Noire were surprised while Tecmo isn't, casually helping her roommate with the mess around.

"Woah!" Neptune surprised, "What in the world just happened here?!"

"Well.. Koei loves history and work as a historian. She loves to write and well… she doesn't have the sense of cleanliness while writing.."

"D-Don't give me that!" Koei embarrassed, "I've been always busy travelling around Gamindustri, writing down everything happening."

"W-Well okay then.." Neptune sweatdropped, "With all that work, it must be tiring isn't?"

"Writing history isn't what makes me tired, it's all those travelling I need in a fixed time."

"Oh I forgot." Tecmo remembered, "Neptune, you do have something else to say after we arrived here, right?"

"Oh yeah! I was about to talk about where we are until you said it back on our walk."

"Huh? You mean Planeptune?"

"You don't know?" Koei said to Neptune.

"Of course we know! It's just that, I don't remember Planeptune being this… bulky."

"Well what do you expect?" Koei confused, "It's always been like that for decades."

"So that what made you two froze in the first place?" Tecmo asked.

"Well kinda.."

"Now thinking about it, you two look kinda odd judging by your outfits.. " Koei continued, "Where you girls came from?"

:W-Well, uhh.." Noire stuttered, "Me and Nep came from Lastation!"

"Lastation?" Koei confused before she grown suspicious to them, "There's no nation called Lastation around here. Is there something you girls hiding?"

'W-What?!' Noire surprised in her thought, 'L-Lastation doesn't exist in this dimension?!'

"Oh, how silly of my friend is! Of course we're not hiding something from you two!" Neptune sweatdropped, "She meant to say Leanbox, that is!"

"I don't remember any nation called Leanbox either.." Tecmo followed up, confused.

"Not even Leanbox.." Koei glared, now fully grown suspicious of them, "Alright, tell me what's going on?"

"Nepu-?!" she surprised.

"Where you two really came from? Why are you even hiding something from us, then?" Koei asked them.

"W-Wai-!"

"Nep, we can't hide it for long.." Noire sighed, "Let's just tell them the truth."

"What truth?" Koei asked.

"Alright then.." Neptune stood up as she sighed, clearing her throat before revealing their identity to the girls, "I came from Planeptune while she came from Lastation."

"You came from Planeptune? How you couldn't know the nation?" Tecmo confused.

"As I said, there's no such thing as Lasta-!"

"Not only that." she continued, "I am also the CPU of Planeptune and she's the CPU of Lastation."

Suddenly, it stopped both Tecmo and Koei in shock after hearing her words. Moving back away from them which made Neptune and Noire confused, murmuring.

"C-CPU.." Tecmo frightened.

"...of Planeptune.." Koei followed.

"Huh?" Neptune confused, "Is there's something-?"

"H-Help!" Tecmo shouted in panic, rushing her way to the exit, "Help! There's an imposter!"

"Wait! Stop!" Noire stopped her, holding her back with her voice muffled by her hand.

"Hey! Don't hurt my friend!" Koei angered, grabbing her unmounted telescope as her weapon only to get stopped by Neptune's sword in front of her.

"Just listen to us for bit!" Neptune exclaimed.

Situation grew worse with the girls facing one another, with Noire held Tecmo back from calling help while Neptune kept her sword aim at Koei. It took them a moment for Koei to think before she finally responded.

"Alright then.. Just let go of my friend.."

Nodded in agreement, she let go of her before she quickly ran up to her, cried over her name. Both parties carefully lowered their weapons, keeping their distance from each other.

"S-So.." Neptune stuttered, "Are we good now?"

"No.." she glared towards them, holding her friend at her side, "Just let get this over with!"

"O-Okay then, sheesh!" Neptune sweatdropped before she continued, "We are CPUs but we're from another dimension. Something happened to us that made us stuck in this dimension."

"...What?" Koei confused, "What are you even talking about..?"

"I know everything happened to us were confusing for you two, but hear us out. We need your help to find our friends and get our powers back." Noire pleaded.

"Yet we're going to trust you two?"

"Just a pretty please, Koei?" the lilac-haired girl pleaded also, "Maybe if once we got our powers back, we will do anything-?"

"A-Alright, just stop!" Koei sighed, "Fine, we will help you two but don't forget that I have my eyes on you.."

"Great then, hehe.." Neptune lightheartedly chuckled, "Oh, uh Tec, we're really sorry for what happened before."

"No, I am the one who suppose to say sorry for trying to get you and Noire caught.." Tecmo apologize while she wipes her tears off.

"You're already trusting them, Tecmo?" she disappointed.

"Oh c'mon, Koei! Just put your hopes with us-"

"Don't give me that." she glared which caught her off guard.

"Okay! Okay! I'll stop!" Neptune sweatdropped, frightened by her ferocious glance.

"It's kinda dark around now." Noire called, viewing the city through their apartment's window.

"Uh, is it safe to look around during the night?" Neptune asked.

"Since you two are CPUs, then maybe if you can keep your true identity hidden."

"Huh?" Noire confused, "What do you mean?"

"Planeptune has a ruling CPU around the nation, it's why Tecmo called Neptune an imposter after all."

"Hey!" Neptune pouted, "The main protagonist cannot be called the imposter of her own nation!"

"Shut it, Nep." Noire complained, "Maybe we can ask her about everything happened?"

"No-uh." Koei shook her head, "The CPUs around here aren't too keen with others. They'll straight up attack you without reasoning with them. That's why I've warned you about keeping your identity hidden."

"But is there a way to reason with them?" Noire asked.

"Not like I've convinced a CPU before, how would I know?" she shrugged as her only answer.

"Now then, you and Noire look so damped right now. You two need to dry up for now." Tecmo concerned.

"And a rest too." Neptune added, "It's been quite a journey, you know?"

"Alright then.." Koei sighed, "I'm going to bring some bed sheets here, and some spare clothes."

"Thanks, Koei. We really appreciate!" she joyfully thanked her.

"Hey! I'm only doing this for Tecmo, alright?!" Koei embarrassed while her roommate sweatdropped in her response.

As of now, Neptune, Noire, and her new friends rested on their home for the rising dusk. With how unbelievably different Planeptune is from all of her adventure dimension by dimension, she felt like this will be nothing familiar to the travel she went through but to feel like the beginning of their new adventure through the vast world of Gamindustri on this dimension.

* * *

_\- Basilicom, Planeptune (Hyper Dimension)_

Night passed since the oracle's inspection for what happened to the incident, with the sun soaring above the peak height of the basilicom. However, things may go unusual than how they were before.

In front of the entrance, visits of the oracles of Lastation, Lowee, and Leanbox respectively with the guards guiding them securely to the office, although it's also a surprise for the oracles by their sudden visit.

"You two also came here too?" Kei asked the visiting oracles, confused.

"Well.. Last night, Histoire sent me a message that I should come here in urgent. I'm not sure why but it sounds something important."

"Huh? That's the same reason I came here for." Chika pointed out, "Maybe does it have something to do with what she tried to recall from before?"

"Maybe.." Kei is unsure about it, "We can only know if we take a visit, come on."

Walking now to the entrance, with one of the guards knocking the door for them, informing someone about their visit.

"Lady Histoire." the guard called, "The oracles came for a visit."

"Let them in." A familiar voice called from the other side.

Nodded in approval, the guard opened the door for them, with now the oracles heading to where they were told to, the office.

At the office, seeing Histoire with an old, dusty book from her desk with the oracles standing outside the office's doorway. Still wondering about why she sent them here with her unclear reason doesn't help them to figure, before entering through to discuss about it.

"We came here as you told us to the message." Kei responded before her glance to the book she holds, "Also, what is that dusty book you're holding?"

"And what also happened to the office?!" Mina surprised, seeing many papers and books thrashed throughout the room, "It looks like a total disaster!"

"I apologize if I couldn't able to prepare to fix the office before your visit.." She apologized before pointing out to her book she is holding, "It took me hours through midnight before I finally found this."

"And what that is?" Chika asked.

"It's an ancient book that has been kept hidden for centuries before I found it." Histoire explained to them, "It holds many information for what occurred back then."

Unveiling the pages, showing large chunks of text that explained what happened since when this is written, along with very old photos, with its color only limited with pale brown, and paintings that shows how Gamindustri is back then. It is an amazing sight for the girls to read though there is one more thing that confuses them.

"What about it?" Kei confused, "I understand if it's a sort of discovery for history but why did you exactly sent us here just to read it?"

"Because that's not what I called you girls in." she clarified, "It also written about the certain thing we're familiar with, the hypercube."

Flipping multiple pages through before she finally found it as she showed them to the oracles, surprised to the photo of it with the hypercube being held by an unknown figure, with the cube hovering above her hand.

"This brown-ish hypercube that the CPUs found, is a very powerful, magical weapon that has been the weapon of the very founding goddess in this world, CPU Braun.." she continued, "This ancient weapon is far more powerful than every relic hidden throughout the land, that is capable of wielding its holder the power of a CPU even without shares and can easily manipulate the time and space with ease, which is why not only this cube is very powerful but also very dangerous weapon."

The details alone left them with a gasp of surprise, unable to bear how such weapon this powerful could exist in the world. But even to its existence, unsure how the world they are living in, hasn't been devastated to debrises.

"I can't believe how unbelievably powerful that cube is.." shocked Mina, "How come Gamindustri still standing now whoever the holder is could abuse its powers?"

"According to the book, the hypercube cannot and will not, be given to anyone else except for her successor she trusted with. Since after her departure, later on her successor hidden the cube away to a place where no humans and CPUs will never, ever find it forever.."

"How ironic.." Chika sighed, "Yet now some random driver managed to find the cube and went on rampage around!"

"Well whoever the driver is, right now, we have to find Neptune and her friends to get back before the people figured it out they've disappeared." Kei advised.

"That's right, and I might know where they are right now but it's very hard to do so.."

"Huh, what do you mean?" confused Mina, "Did they warped in dimension? Well, you can-"

"No." she cuts off, "They didn't traveled in dimension,

_**They **__**traveled**__** in time.."**_


	3. Lost Parties

_**Author's Note:**_ My dealings in life has been really busy for me to write down the chapter for a week, only racking up to 4.9k words. I can't promise when making this a weekly chapters, since writing is not much one of my strong personal taste. But I do my best to turn this into one of my hobbies.

By the way, big thanks to **u/Ryin_silverfish** for the collaboration with the story, through the making of certain OCs.

* * *

"Ugh.." groaned a familiar voice, "What happened?"

Slowly waking up before the brunette noticed herself sleeping on a bed sheet, with the first thing she saw is a plain white ceiling above her. Gently getting off from her futon, feels her body stiff and sore, wondering to herself how long does she fell asleep for?

"Jeez.. How did I end up here..?" she groaned as she rubbed her eyes, before noticing something missing to her, "Huh? Compa? Where are you?"

As she looked around, found her friend just beside her, still asleep on a separate futon. Fortunately her and Compa didn't suffer any wounds and injuries despite the very deep fall that could have ended their lives. Instead, they were brought into this dull room as if nothing happened.

She realized that she doesn't have her blue, oversized coat on her. Taking another glance, and it turns out that her coat is hanging on a clothing stand just at the corner of the room. Someone must have took it off for her..

As she wanders around, the room is built in a shoin-style design, with walls were made of wooden lattices that are covered in translucent papers, the whole floor is nearly covered by a large mat that is placed at the center of the room, and a sliding door made up of wooden frames that is covered in thick, opaque paper. There is also a low table at the center of the room, with a lit candle placed on it that lights up the whole room.

Even for a simple room, it is a very pleasant and cozy room for the two, with the brunette felt relaxed as she sat down beside the table for a while. Grabbing her oversized jacket from the corner while she waits her friend to wake up, though something distracting her in her mind.

"Where are we, by the way?" she wonders.

"Do you think the girls were in their good condition?" An unknown voice appeared.

"I am not so sure about it, we should look over them.."

Heard the voices before she immediately looked over, seeing two shadowy figures being reflected through the room by sunlight. Luckily her blades were intact within her jacket's arms before she hid herself under the table.

From what she can only see, the door slid open, followed by two indistinguishable figures with one of them wore an iron boots along with its broadsword laid near to the ground and the other is simply on a blue cloak, wielding a wooden rod.

Both approaching her sleeping friend with their weapons exposed.

"Hmm.." the cloaked figure thought, "So far the girl is quite in a good condition. Guess we should-"

"Leave my friend alone!" she rushed out of the table, exposing her arm blades against them.

From her swift strike, suddenly her own blades got blocked by the figure's iron shield which she didn't notice, followed by a magical attack from the cloaked figure's staff, a ball of fiery fire slung to her chest.

Flung through the room until an impact to the table, crashing it into pieces. Coughing as she gasped in pain, getting up to recover before her, surrounded by the two figures.

"Hold it right there, you wretched thief!" a female knight-like figure exclaimed, with her blade aimed towards to her throat, "Surrender now and we'll make the pain more ease!"

"Wait, hold on.." the cloaked magician stopped its companion before the magician noticed, "She's also the girl we saved."

"H-Huh?" the brunette confused, still recovering from the attack.

"Wait what?" the female knight also confused before she finally noticed, "Oh yeah! We've done too much to her!"

"W-Wait, both of you saved us?"

"That's right." the cloaked magician calmly nodded, revealing itself as a female magician under her hoodie, "But we should tend your wound first before explaining the story.."

* * *

Back on her futon, sitting with her chest wrapped in bandage since after such a mistaken incident. The two however, were sitting beside her with one of them immediately bowed down in regret.

"We apologize for this cause!" the knight apologized so loudly, surprising her, "I'll take full responsibility for the harm that is clearly under the violation of a knight!"

"W-Wait, not at all!" she sweatdropped, "Actually, it's my fault for engaging a fight!"

"We understand. We meant no harm to you and your friend.." the magician simply nodded, "My companion has herself a strict value as a knight, I hope you don't mind."

"I see.." she sighed, unclear with this whole situation, "Anyway, about the story that you gonna explain?"

"Well, of course." the magician simply said, fixating her glasses, "It happened back at the forest in a cold, shivery weather. While I was experimenting with my magics, we heard a loud, rumbling noise that occurred near us.."

"Therefore me and my fellow companion look upon to the said noise. And that's where we had found you two, lying unconscious on a snowy ground. It is very unethical for us even as a knight, to leave you two to be left frozen to death, so we've carried you and your friend all the way to our shelter."

"Even though you really meant it." the magician figured, rolling her eyes.

"S-Silent, you false-hearted mongrel!" she retorted back, "How dare you spat on against my nobility!"

"Not like I'm against it. I meant you saved them by your own heart rather than your knighthood."

"Tch, w-whatever!" barked in embarrassment.

"Uh guys?" the brunette teen called them back, "I want to say thank you for saving us back there, really appreciate it."

"It's fine." the magician simply stared.

"As always!" the knight smiled, giving her a thumbs up, "The adventuring knight will always come and to save the people in need!"

"Doubt it."

"S-Silent!" she complained.

Chuckled as the two companions continued on barking to each other, with the magician is always the one to tease her prideful companion. A never-ending bickering between the two until a groan is heard that took their attention.

"Ugh.." the pale pink-haired girl groaned, "Wha..? What happened?"

"Compa!" she surprised as she approached to her, "You're awake!"

"Huh, Iffy?" she glanced over her, wiping her eyes, "Iffy!"

Smile brought to their face with the girls hugged each other, happy that they were okay, while the other party just simply stood there, watching by. Breaking off their moment as IF helped Compa to get up from the futon.

"Glad you're okay, Compa." IF smiled.

"Mhm, yeah." she followed, nodding before she glanced around, seeing the girls behind her, "Huh? Who are they?"

"I'm glad you asked!" the knight proudly responded, "My name is Origin and thou noble, adventuring knight that seeks and fight against such treacherous monsters for those in need."

"...do you really need to be that so noble..?" her companion cringes before she followed, "Anyway, I am Sir-Tech, I'm a wizard that travels around Gamindustri to look for the greatest solution to a finest wizardry."

"Sup, Origin and Sir-Tech." IF greeted, "The name's IF and she's Compa."

"Hi there!" Compa smiled as she waved to them.

"IF and Compa, huh?" Origin recalled, "It's a pleasure to meet you two."

"Yeah." Compa simply nodded before she noticed something on IF's chest, "Huh? Iffy, what happened to your chest?"

"We've just-"

"J-Just happened to got ambushed by monsters and IF got struck by their attacks!" Origin cuts her off quickly, covering Sir-Tech's mouth, "D-Don't worry! We've already taken care of those foul creatures and she's recovering right now!"

"I mean… yeah.." IF sweatdropped, "It's nothing to be worried about."

"Oh, so that's why there's a broken table over there." she understood, well naively..

"So, aside from that, where are we by the way?"

"Just a small house in Lowee." Sir-Tech simply answered, "It's only a temporary home so we will move out later from this chilling forest.."

"So then, where do you girls live?" Origin asked.

"Us? Well me and Compa were from Planeptune."

"Planeptune, huh?" the knight recalled, "So I assume that you two were tourists around here, right?"

"Uh, I think so.." the brunette is unsure about it.

"But what happened back there?", Origin asked again, "We've just saw you two unconscious after we've heard some sort of rumbling noise.."

"W-We don't how we ended up here, to be honest." IF shrugged, "We've fell from some kind of very large hole before we've passed out."

"..What?" Origin confused, "What in the world is that kind of hole that suppose to travel you girls from Planeptune to Lowee?"

"Maybe a teleportation spell casted you two to here?" Sir-Tech speculated, "But those kind of spell is only can be used by powerful casters and so far, I never recalled a type of spell that can lead you two through a… very deep hole.."

"Well, we can't say for sure.." IF continued, scratching her head, "It's all because of some kind of hypercube that led us here."

"Wait, wait!" Sir-Tech perked up, "What did you say?"

"Huh?" she confused, "I said a hypercube that led us here."

"A hypercube.." she recalled, mumbling to herself before she asked her again, "It's a brown-ish hypercube, correct?"

"Uh, yeah." IF nodded, "You know that is?"

"Is there something disturbing you, my fellow wizard?" Origin asked while she is confused to her magical companion.

"..Did you provoke against the CPU of Magnabox? Is that why you two ended up here?"

"Huh? What? Magnabox?" she confused, "What's Magnabox? What's going on here? And we don't even know who's this CPU of Magnabox! We just got that hypercube from our friends!"

"Your friends?" she glared upon them, "No people around Gamindustri could have that hypercube except for the CPU.."

"But Iffy is telling you the truth." Compa intervened.

"But that's impossible! The hypercube cannot have a replica of its own, even to its source of magic!"

"What do you mean?" IF asked before the knight responded to her.

"The Hypercube is a godly weapon that has been carried throughout the centuries ago by the ancient goddess of this world." Origin said to her, "It has been a folklore of Gamindustri. All commoners, riches, nobles, and even CPUs, cannot wield the Hypercube except one that the ancient goddess chosen."

"And that is Lady Odyssee, the CPU of Magnabox." Sir-Tech continued, "I'm surprised on how far deep you two were under the rock.."

"Hey!" IF retorted, "I swear we're telling you the truth!"

"Now, now Iffy!" Compa sweatdropped, calming her friend down, "Getting angry might not help you to convince them.."

While Compa continued to calm her down, meanwhile the two, confused girls, whispered to each other as they were trying to clear up the confusion from what the two were talking about.

"Do you think they were telling the truth?" she whispered to her cautious wizard friend.

"No." she simply shook her head, "If they were telling the truth, I still don't see any reason on why Lady Odyssee would use the Hypercube against a simple human.."

"But thou Lady Odyssee is truly a frightening figure that no knights would face upon, isn't? Truly intrigued on how you see your reason to thy goddess?"

"I have known Lady Odyssee for a very long time, Origin.."

"Oh! So you and Lady Odyssee were friends ago, truly envy you!"

"Just stop." she glared at her, "I rather not talk about my personal lives to a delusional knight like you."

"W-What?! Who do you call delusional?!"

"I'm just kidding.." she lightly chuckled, "That's your part of side that always amuses me."

"Hmph! If that your personal life is truly that important, then fine, I'll respect your wish!" she pouted.

"I-Iffy! Maybe we aren't getting something if you keep doing this..?"

Came back to their conversation with Compa, sweatdropped while she continued to drag her back from a sudden heated conversation. Eventually, taking a deep breath as she's calming down, sat back on her seat with her exhaustion barely took her.

"Fine.." she panted, "You said we're in Lowee, right?"

"That's right." the knight simply nodded.

"Then can you tell us where's the basilicom is?"

"Huh? Basilicom?" she confused, "Never in my whole servitude under the knighthood have heard such a thing.."

"What? You don't know what basilicom is?" Compa asked.

"We don't.." Sir-Tech answered, shaking her head, "No people even knew what this 'basilicom' is.."

"Well, it's a place where the CPU lives, that's just it."

"Oh!" Origin understood, "You mean the CPU's castle, right?"

"Uh.." the brunette confused but she simply nodded anyway, "I guess so..?"

"It's just far ahead to the east from here. It wouldn't take too long if you use a horse ahead."

"I see, then." understood IF, preparing to stand up off her seat until her friend interrupted.

"Iffy?" she called, "Do you think they're actually telling the truth?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean there's this Magnabox we don't really know, Lowee doesn't have a basilicom, and they don't know what that is.."

"It's one way to find out.." she mumbled, thinking whether if they have actually traveled to a different world, before she faced back to the other party.

"Alright then, me and Compa should go to the city where the castle is but we don't have ourselves a ride to go through.."

"Well, I wouldn't necessarily called Lowee's capital a city.." the wizard told, expressing her , "It's more like a really large town that looks like a marketplace."

"Now thinking about it, there's some stuff I need to resupply to this house. Kinda forgot, hehe.." Origin chuckled as she sweatdropped.

"There's a magic contest going one in the town-square for this night." Sir-Tech added, "Me and Origin would go there, and I assume you two also wanted to come along?"

"That's right!" IF smiled as Compa responded with a nod instead, "We're supposed to be there until something happened to us."

"Okay then, my fellow friends!" Origin gave a thumbs up, "Go prepare whatever you have, while I'll prepare the wagon and the horse at the back."

"Alright." Sir-Tech nonchalantly responded, skirmishing around her magical books.

"Guess we have to wait, right Iffy?"

"Right." IF nodded before something caught up to her mind, which perked her up, "Oh wait, hold on.."

Compa confused while the brunette is grabbing something from her belt, a pink cellphone that is attached to it. She was lucky that she still got that from their deep fall to the void. Opening up as she began to type down the numbers.

"Maybe I can contact Nep and Gear to see if they're okay?" she speculated, entering the numbers.

Phone rang with her, laying the phone besides her ear. While waiting through its ring multiple times until a response is given.

_"This number is either unavailable or out of service. Please try again, later."_ an automated voice call responded.

"Dang it.." she complained, quietly mumbled, "Maybe Gear's phone should work?"

Redo the procedure again, this time typing Nepgear's phone number. Done so but again, it was given with the same message again. It seems the calls doesn't work because either she was too far from them, or they have lost theirs throughout their entire fall, shaking her head in frustration.

"Don't worry about them, Iffy!" the nurse comforted her, "They'll be okay somewhere around here."

"Yeah.." IF sighed, "Yeah, I think so."

* * *

_\- ?_

"Nepgear!" a familiar voice called upon her, "Wake up!"

"H-Huh..?" she groaned.

Waking up with her eyes fixated to the sky. Carefully looking around before she noticed the girls beside her: Ram, Rom, and Uni, fully awake as they waited for her. It seems that Ram is the one that woke her up.

"Nepgear!" she called again, "Are you awake?"

"Y-Yeah.." Nepgear responded with a nod, slowly standing up from the ground, well maybe..

The sisters were actually standing above the sacks of powdered cement that nearly flooded the whole room. Glancing around, it seems like a large, rusty room with a metallic frames and supports throughout the room, slowly decaying as they were badly corroded.

"Where are we? she asked before they noticed the cemented dirt around them, surprising her, "A-And why are we covered with cement?!"

"We're in some kind of an old, abandoned warehouse." Uni answered, "Looks like we've fell up from the sky and thankfully the sacks gave us a soft landing."

Pointing above with her finger, now fully seeing the clear blue sky above the devastated rooftop, badly damaged as if they were some sort of a bomb that destroys it. Appalled by it yet gave her a soft laugh, scratching her back.

"Well then, hehe.." she quietly giggled, "At least it wasn't rough landing.."

"I wish that I saw myself breaking through!" Ram whined, "It could've been so much fun!"

"R-Ram!" Rom timidly complained, "We can't break the things that we don't own.."

"Hmph, fine! At least I broke the roof while I'm asleep."

"More like we, broke the roof while we passed out.." Uni sighed, "Beside, this building looks so old, I don't think someone would own this warehouse."

"I hope so.." Nepgear sweatdropped, "Goodness.. What just happened to us?"

"We've fell from a very deep, dark hole to a shiny light, duh." Uni shrugged, "Beside, I'm more worried where is my sister is, right now!"

"Me too!" Ram exclaimed too, followed by her twin sister with a nod.

"Well, me too." Nepgear added, "But I'm sure my big sis' would be fine, following to all dimensions she hops through.."

"If we hopped to a new dimension, where are we right now?" Uni wondered, "I know we may be in Lastation, judging to this old warehouse."

"I don't know.." she shrugged, "I think my big sis' is the only one that knows about dimensional travelling. Not like I've traveled to dimensions so frequently.."

"This ugly house is boring.." Ram yawned, "Can't we just get out of here?"

"Ram, we can't transform our way out of here!" complained Rom, "We can't do our CPU form.."

"W-What, we can't?!" surprised Nepgear before she tries to transform, nothing happened, "What's going on?!"

"That's what we're trying to figure it out.." facepalmed Uni, "While you're passed out, I tried to transform to check over the roof but nothing happened."

"Oh dear.." she sighed, "How can we get out of here, then?"

"Well, I tried the gate over there but it's completely lock. That's the only way we can get-"

Uni tried to explain until she was cut off by a loud clank coming from the gate, grabbing their attention. Slowly opens as the girls hid themselves around the large piles of sacks. Fully opened, then an old man walked in from the outside, wearing a jumpsuit.

"Bloody hell.." he groaned, "Well then, time for another day of a normal work-"

Shocked in disbelief by the shattered rooftop above him, with some of the sacks were torn apart, spread the cement throughout the room. The hole was large enough for the whole sacks to be left exposed in sunlight.

"My god!" he exclaimed, "Not my darn warehouse! Who did this to my beautiful warehouse?!"

"Uh oh.." Uni appalled, "There is someone owning this warehouse.."

"My g-goodness!" Nepgear stuttered while she whispers, "W-What should we do now?!"

"Hehehe.." Ram apparently chuckled with an evil smug, "Got him!"

"R-Ram!" Rom complained.

"Oh god.. I'll need to send over the authority here!" the old man dismayed in his disbelief, leaving out of sight from his warehouse.

"Now's our chance!" Uni perked up, grabbing Nepgear's hand, "We have to get out of here before they come back!"

"A-Alright!" Nepgear struggled from her sprint, "Can you, at least, slow down?!"

"C'mon, Rom!" Ram also followed, "We can finally leave from this dirty room!"

"R-Ram!" she also struggled, the same way with Nepgear's.

The whole sisters were sprinting their way out of the warehouse, as they successfully left away from it as far as they can before the old man comes back, possibly with the polices.

* * *

_\- Alleyway, ?_

Running through the deep alleyway that was barely exposed by sunlight, with wires left hanging around the wall along the gears and nuts were littered throughout the pathway. Walls were built with metals, coated in bronze, along with some machines attached around, consisting of gears that even Nepgear couldn't know what it is..

"I can see the light ahead!" Uni pointed out.

Emerging out of darkness before they were blinded, soon seeing a bizarre view of the city around. Built by steels with both framings and supports, everything coated in a brown-ish color with nuts, gears, and wires were frequent around the Victorian-esque buildings. Plain metals and bricks were so common around the parts. Electrical posts were also around the blocks with so many wires that nearly entangles them, along with cars that looks like a metallic, fancy wagons. Even the sky is barely covered in steam.

"Is this even Lastation..." Nepgear shocked in awe, "Everything looks so… steampunk-ish.."

"I don't think this is Lastation, at all Nepgear.." Uni followed, "Nor any nations we knew.. We really do traveled to a different dimension!"

"Excuse me, sir?" Rom naively asked to certain stranger, wearing a rough, dirty clothes while sitting beside the wall, "Do you know where we are?"

"Rom!" Ram complained, "Big sis' told us not to talk with strangers!"

"Huh?" the poor man confused before he sighed, "Eh.. You girls seems to be new so I'll let that slip."

"Slip what?" Uni glared.

"Being an idiot like they're living in a cave." he simply said while grabbing his pack of cigarettes, "Besides, you girls were foreigners after all. Nations like this rarely get a foreigners nowadays.."

"And what nation we're in, by the way?" Uni continued.

"Eh? Happened to illegally traveled around Gamindustri until you were caught up by a storm? God, even my grandma can do a better job than you."

"W-What did you say?!" angered Uni, being dragged back by Nepgear.

"U-Uni! Calm down!" she struggled.

"P-Please.." Rom plead.

"Eh?!" he got caught by her cuteness, coughing, "W-Well, if that's what you girls wanted then fine..

You're in Balarch, the Land of the Steampunk fantasy-whatever. I'm not sure whether you girls came from Coleco, Intellastion, Affinatrix, or Tari since those were the nations that were close to Balarch."

"What..?"

Confused by such nations they have heard. Balarch, Coleco, Intellastion, and Affinatrix? Those were the nations that were new to them, except one..

"W-Wait!" Nepgear surprised, "Tari?!"

"Yeah? Never heard of it? Good golly, I don't even want to know how deep you girls were living under the rock.."

"Well.. There's more reason to that.."

"Whatever that is, I don't care.." he scoffs with his cigarette on his hand, smoking.

"So.." Nepgear cleared up, "Do you know where Planeptune is?"

"Hm? Yeah, just a way farther to the west from here. It'll take an expensive ride to travel all the way over there and from how dirty you girls are, ya ain't rich enough for it."

"Oh goodness.." she sighed.

"Hey, how about Lowee?" Ram asked.

"Lowee?" he raised his eyebrow, "Huh? I barely even heard about that nation all the time. They're never as exposed as to the rest of Gamindustri though, nothing but a hermit kingdom.

"O-Okay then.." Rom understood, stuttered.

"Hermit kingdom?" Ram confused.

"Then can you at least tell us how can we get back to Lowee?" Uni demanded, raising her tone.

"I don't think that nation is accepting some dirty cheaps like you."

"What did you say?!" she provoked again, held back by Nepgear.

"H-How about tell us how we get to Planeptune instead?" Nepgear stuttered, sweat dropping.

"Mhm, fine." he nodded, continued smoking, "Just head to the direction over there. If ya can't afford for a ride, it'll take several days for a walk."

"Okay then, thank you, mister!" she smiled, "C-Come on, guys. Let's just go."

"Hmph! Better than dealing with this old prick.." Uni pouted.

Now knowing where to go from this… steampunk-style nation, the sisters headed towards where the old man pointed, eagerly walking ahead back to Nepgear's home. While the old man watches them departing away to the horizon, simply sighed with his cigarette thrown away from his fingers.

"Tch, kids these days.."

* * *

\- Warehouse, ?

"I-I swear that's how happened, sir!" the old man explained to the authorities, "I just came back and everything became a mess!"

"I see.." the investigator understood, "Milady, what do you think?"

"Eh? What's a big deal with someone bombing over cements? Must've been a ridiculous hay-day for someone with this bad luck."

"B-But milady!" the old man begged, "I need those cements for my contractor, If I couldn't delivered the amount they need, I could get-!"

"Shut up!" she complained, silencing him, "Besides! Why would I shouldn't be careless to someone's job that I have no business with? I came here for crime investigation, not for your delivery job."

Walking away from conversation, with the old man left appalled by her rampant. Meanwhile, the investigator bowed his head down to him.

"We apologize for her insults against you! The lady is not currently in her mood.." he apologized before he came back to her.

Sprinting back to his superior as they wander around the investigation, with cements spread throughout the room so dirty followed by a clean-up squads and the investigators, carefully inspecting around parts of the warehouse.

"M-Milady.." he sighed, "You can't talk to your own people like that.."

"I thought you and your men already had it under control here, yet you still called me here?!" she complained, "I have been so busy with my projects in hours and what else could go worse, being in this stupid investigation!"

"W-Well, I apologize for that, milady.." the investigator sweatdropped.

As they wander around, before she noticed the footprints around the corners of the sacks, footprints that leads to outside of the warehouse. These prints apparently picked up her curiosity before she follows them.

"You do your job over here, while I'll go somewhere else."

"Y-Yes, milady."

Following the footsteps, she noticed that these multiple footsteps leads to the alleyway from the side, suspecting where the suspect behind this ran off. With a grin over her face, she immediately sprint away as she follows where the suspect headed off.

"Hehe.." she chuckled with an evil smile, "Think you can get away from me, you dirty freaks?"

* * *

_\- ?_

"Where the hell are we?"

"Some kind of a forest, chu."

Since a day passed after waking up, Linda and Warechu walks around the dense forest, lost deep within as they were wandering around cluelessly. Birds chirping through the woods, leaves swayed following the rhythm of the wind. Nature seems very ooze and calm around, but the duo says otherwise.

The delinquent holding her iron pipe so firmly, laid behind her back, with an intimidating posture, acting tough while she walks by, followed by her rat-like companion that simply follows her by her side.

"For a very dense forest, I'm surprised that there isn't that much of monsters around, chu." Warechu impressed while he glances around the trees.

"Hey, don't let your guard down." she scoffed, "What else something would gonna attack us out of nowhere?"

"But listen around, chu. It's very relaxing and calm, what else could go wrong?"

"Tch, whatever!"

Walking through the grasses before they arrived into the river, too deep for the two to cross through. Luckily for them, a log rested between the sides above the river so they used it to cross over the river.

Some time later, still nothing but a flora of trees still around them as if they never made that much of a progress, which frustrated the delinquent.

"Damm it!" she complained, "How long till we're out of these stupid trees?!"

"Well, I don't know, chu.." Warechu shrugged, "But on the bright side, nothing happened to us."

Afterwards, the bushes rattles so loud that took then in surprise. Emerging out, comes a group of doggos in colorful variants that surrounds the duo.

"Not again, chu.."

"On the bright side, huh?" she smirked, holding her pipe, "More like on the bad'ass side!"

_"Doggo!"_

One of them immediately attacks by hopping towards them, wanting for a fight until it was immediately struck by her pipe, with a strong force that threw the doggo far like a baseball being struck by a bat.

"Hehe, want a piece of that?" she chuckled with evil smile brought on her face, "Then come and get it!"

"Y-You chump! Are you trying to get us killed?!"

"Shut up, you damn rat!"

_"Doggo!"_ The group of doggos roared before they proceeded an attack.

The duo were now engaged against the wild monsters on their path, with Linda swiftfully swinging her pipe back and forth. Treating them like her own baseballs, guess it would be an easy fight.

While the battle continues on, meanwhile a figure watches over them from the trees, with the leaves that darkened its appearance. Grinned over its face with a radio held on its hand.

"Howdy!" a feminine voice with somewhat rough accent called over its radio, "Guess we might find ourselves some good partners."


	4. Double the Trouble

_\- Planeptune (?)_

A new day had arrived, with the sun high above the horizon, a beautiful morning for the people of Gamindustri to prepare themselves for work or leisure. Meanwhile, Neptune and the girls were the first to wake up; they were currently wandering around the downtown area, accompanied by Koei and Tecmo.

"Phew! What a beautiful day, isn't it?" Neptune smiled, stretching out her arms above her head, "It sucks that the buildings have to block all the sunlight."

"Well, welcome to Planeptune." Tecmo chuckled, "You'll get used to it, sooner or later, mhm!"

"So, you said that you and your friends got warped into this world, am I correct?" Koei questioned them. "It sounds so far-fetched… yet again, you give me no other reason to dismiss your words..."

"We are telling you the truth!" Noire complained. "I also got my sister dragged into this mess, so she must be in this dimension, too!"

"Same here." Neptune raised her hand, "Now, we got split apart after what happened. We're going to find them, but looks like this world is too big for the protagonist to handle!"

"..What?" Both of them looked towards her, puzzled.

"Nep! I told you not to call yourself that!" Noire shot her an irritated look, "Ugh! Now you made the situation even worse!"

"Hehe.." Neptune chuckled upon seeing her companion's funny face. "Oh c'mon, Noire! You know that's the true Neptune that the readers know and love!"

"Jeez.. Is that how Neptune usually acts like? I hope she's joking and not being…delusional." Koei cringed.

"Nepu-?!" Neptune opened her mouth in shock. "Of course it's just a joke! I'm not that delusional, guys!"

"Told you." Noire scoffed, facing away from her.

At this hour in the morning, there were barely any pedestrians on the sidewalks, yet the roads were already filled with vehicles. The day was surely busy, as every street continued to be flooded with people.

Fortunately, it was not so crowded that the girls wouldn't get stuck in traffic, though they still had to squeeze through the oncoming crowd.

"Woah! The streets are already filled, even this early in the morning!" Neptune gasped.

"It's rush hours, we better hurry." Koei suggested, quickening her steps in a hurry.

"So that's why you want us to get out of bed this early?" Tecmo asked.

"Well, duh. I do have a fair share of experience traversing around these blocks before..." She sighed.

"So Planeptune is always this busy, then?" Noire wondered.

"Yeah, out of the dozens of nation that I have visited, Planeptune is definitely one of the busiest nations in Gamindustri, right behind Tari."

Though Koei's response was quite casual, the last name that came out of her mouth caught the girls in complete surprise.

"T-Tari?!" Both of them exclaimed.

"Uh, yeah? What's up with Tari?" Koei replied, not understanding their shock.

"You two know about Tari?" Tecmo also chimed in.

"Y-Yeah.." Neptune sweatdropped, "But they're like, a dead nation in our world."

"Jeez, that's sad. I wonder what happened to them?"

"There's a good reason that you don't want to know, hehe..." she chuckled.

"What is it?"

"It's a secret!" Neptune stuck her tongue out, "A Neppy secret!"

"Hm, fine.." Koei groaned as they continued walking through the street.

"Pssh, Nep!" Noire whispered to her. "If Tari is still around here, that means.."

"Rei must be its CPU.." Neptune speculated. "But we don't know if she is the good Rei, or the bad Rei.. Oh wait, I have an idea!"

Stopping their little chat, Neptune poked Koei, attracting her attention again.

"What?" she asked.

"Uh Koei, since you travel around Gamindustri a lot, do you happen to know Rei? Rei Ryghts?"

"Oh, Lady Rei? Yeah, she's well-known and beloved by the citizens of Tari. Even her little sister is adored by their people."

"W-Wait.." Noire interrupted her. "She has a sister?!"

"Yep!" Tecmo smiled, her eyes sparkling with glee, "Her little sister's name is Lynxi, and she's truly the cutest gal in Gamindustri! I like her so much, I treat her like my own little sister!"

"That's… interesting." Noire mumbled quietly.

"Well, she's pretty nice, though her older sister is really overprotective towards her." Koei shrugged, "I heard she used to have someone she hangs out with a lot, but time's changed, I guess."

"Oh, poor little girl!" Neptune exclaimed, clearly sympathizing with her plight. "Maybe if I met her, we'll hang out together, and play video games!"

"Ugh, how typical of you.." Noire facepalmed.

"Well, good luck with that. Her sister isn't too kind towards strangers, especially other CPUs."

"What do you mean?" Noire asked.

"CPUs of Tari aren't always too friendly with their fellow Goddesses, even before the Console War." Koei sighed.

"They always want to rule the whole Gamindustri, constantly fighting against other CPUs and trying to conquer their nation. Even go so far as to despise those who worship different Goddesses..." Tecmo continued.

"So they're like the hero for their people, but not for other people?" Neptune asked.

"Yeah, they're like benevolents basically." Koei answered.

"So Nep." Noire called out to her. "Do you think Rei is a good guy, or a bad guy?"

"Well uh… Can I say both? You know, 'cause it's complicated, hehe..?" she chuckled, scratching her head.

"Whatever.." Noire groaned, not satisfied with her answer, "Right now, we have to find the others before something bad happens to them."

"Or before the CPUs of this dimension realized that Blanc, Vert, and the sisters are CPUs." Neptune added.

"Exactly. But how in the world are we supposed to find them, in the whole Gamindustri?!"

"Well, until something happens, maybe we can relax a little bit?" Tecmo sweatdropped.

"We can't!" Both exclaimed. "Something bad might happen to them, if we didn't look for them!"

"Huh.." Koei thought, "Tecmo, where did you meet them before?"

"Oh, I've met them back in the park. Last time they were just outside the forest."

"Well then, have you check around the forest before? I don't know how you girls got there, but maybe your friends and sisters could be there, too?"

"I don't know." Noire shrugged, "The forest back there is too dense to see through. Also, a day had passed, so they could be gone by now."

"Well, how about we try again?" suggested Neptune, "Now with Koei and Tecmo around, they could help us search for them."

"Mhm!" Tecmo simply nodded.

"I'll try, even though I really doubt you two." Koei sighed.

"Aw c'mon!" Neptune whined, "Still not believing in us?"

"Knock it off, Nep. Let's just get back to the forest, to see if they are still there!" Noire scolded her, and the group headed back to business.

* * *

_\- Lowee (?)_

On this day, Blanc and Vert would leave for the capital, just as the elderly man had arranged. Riding inside the wagon, the duo remained hidden beneath a sheet of cloth, while the man commanded the horses to move through the forest, on the snowy, dirty pathway.

Vert raised the thick cloth a little, to glimpse outside the wagon. Multiple footsteps were heard before she saw a squadron of armed samurai on their horses, marching back into the village, most likely to check around. As they disappeared behind the horizon, Vert sighed as she wiped her sweat off her forehead.

"Phew.." She sighed, exhausted. "It's fortunate that we've left so early. Wonder what would happen if we didn't?"

"I'd rather not find out." Blanc shook her head, before she called out to the man driving the wagon. "Hey! How far away from the capital are we, right now?"

"It's about an hour's ride away, madam."

"Dang it, can't this thing go any faster?" She huffed in irritation.

"The winter has been heavy this year. It would be hard for horses to navigate through." He explained.

"My, my! At least we should appreciate what the tavern-keeper did for us." The blonde lady smiled, "Really kind of him, saving us from those samurais."

"Well duh, we've saved someone from a bunch of bandits, too. What else do you expect?"

"I mean, think about it. We're foreign CPUs, so shouldn't we be more dangerous to them? More than those thieves? I thought that the people would call for the help of their Goddess, but no..."

"Isn't it obvious?" Blanc sighed, "We did help them out, by saving the woman. Try not to overthink it, Thundertits."

"Oh my, seems you don't like being irritated by my own words. Well someone is being quite grumpy today." Vert giggled, which was met with a complaint.

"Shut up! Ugh, felt like I haven't eaten for days.."

"The tavern-keeper has already prepared some dishes inside the baskets, madam." The villager told her.

The duo glanced around the wagon, before seeing the basket in the corner. Opening its cover, they saw plenty of sushi and soba noodles inside, wrapped tightly in a bundle to prevent the food from spilling out during the bumpy ride.

"Woah, this is too much for my stomach..." Blanc commented nonchalantly.

"Oh dear, I hope eating too much won't make me gain weight." Vert mumbled, looking a bit mortified.

"That's all we have prepared for this morning. So enjoy the food, while the capital is still far ahead. There're also some cups and chopsticks inside the basket."

"Well…thank you, I guess." Blanc nodded to him, in gratitude. "But I'll only eat a little."

"Me too! Though these foods have quite such delicate texture."

"It's the tavern's specialty dishes, after all!" he chuckled, "Would be a waste if you don't finish them."

"Okay then.." Blanc replied. "Just tell us when we arrive at the capital, got it?"

"Got it, madam!" The man smiled, before turning back to his horse.

* * *

_\- Forest, Planeptune (?)_

Neptune and her crews, now back in the forest, were busy searching through the place. Leaves rustling, grass swaying in the gentle rhythm of the wind—It was a green luxury of nature that was quite suiting for their taste.

Despite that, they were not making much progress. They had searched through every nooks and crannies, every trees, rocks, and rivers, yet found nothing at all. Exhausted, they decided to take a break, and regroup in the middle of the forest.

"Jeez..." Neptune collapsed on the ground. "They aren't even here..."

"Hey Koei, you do have your telescope with you, right?" Noire asked.

"Yeah, but there were too many trees around here. Can't use it, with my view blocked."

"Okay then." Noire sighed, "Since we are in Planeptune, which forest is this, anyway?"

"This is Virtua Forest." Tecmo answered, "Not many people around here. Even the monsters are few and far between."

"This is Virtua Forest?" Neptune recalled, "Looks more green than the one back home."

"Well yeah, but let's get back to the point!" Noire scolded, and Neptune looked back in surprise. "How much of this forest have we searched through?"

"Kinda barely..." Koei sighed, "This forest is too big for the four of us to look around. Maybe look somewhere else?"

"Yeah, but how are we even supposed to know their whereabouts, from here?"

"Hey guys!" Neptune called out to them, "I found something!"

"Did you find them, Nep?" Noire asked.

"No, but it's something else."

The group moved towards Neptune, to check out her discovery. As they looked at the direction she was pointing to, they saw the entrance of a cavern, freshly burnt, its exterior still smoking from the heat. Even the trees nearby were charred and burnt away, but fortunately, the rain must have put out the flames.

"Is that a cave?" Tecmo wondered.

"I don't remember seeing any caves in Virtua Forest.." Koei speculated, "But the burnt marks on these walls were quite fresh...Could they be inside?"

"I don't know." Noire shrugged, "But there's only one way to find out. Let's go."

* * *

_\- Cavern, Planeptune (?)_

As the girls ventured deeper into the earth, the air was starting to get warmer. The further they went, the hotter it got, as if this caven was going into the core of the world. Though the heat was quite uncomfortable, it is probably their last chance to look for their friends in this deep cavern, hoping to find their friends in this deep cavern.

Emerging out of the narrow pathway, they stumbled into a large open space. Everything nearby were seared by the heat, to the point that some rocks melted into magma. The tips of the stalactites above were glowing red hot, too. Though every heated rocks barely glow, a mysterious glowing object was resting at the center of the cavern, illuminating the whole space with its light.

"What's that thing over there?" Neptune gaped in awe.

"No one's here, but hey, we found a treasure!" Koei smiled, clearly excited. "C'mon!"

The party rushed through the stalagmites, with Koei leading the way. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement, which was somewhat odd for a historian—like she had suddenly become a treasure hunter. As they moved closer, they finally got a better view of the object.

"Huh?" Neptune tilted her head in puzzlement, as she saw the floating brown tesseract that was currently emitting a bright glow. "That's not a treasure!"

"W-Wait a second..." Koei stopped dead in her tracks as she realized something, with a horrified look on her face. "It's not just a treasure..."

"That's…the Hypercube..." Tecmo took a step back, terrified. "We shouldn't be touching Lady Odyssee's weapon..."

"Wait what? Lady Odyssee? The Hypercube? What's going on?" Neptune interrupted them, looking even more confused than before.

"Hold on a minute." Noire paused as she examined the tesseract, and saw a small dent on its surface, like it had been recently struck. "This is the same cube that Underling hit!"

"'Really?" Neptune perked up before moving to her side, for a closer look, "Oh yeah! How did it end up here?"

"S-Stay away from it!" Koei warned, as she dragged them back, "You can't touch that weapon! Only Lady Odyssee can hold that cube!"

"Huh? It's a weapon?" Noire stared at the object in suspicion. "How so?"

"Well, I've spoken to many elderly folks during my travel. They said that the Hypercube is a powerful artifact, able to manipulate and bend time and space effortlessly. It was so impossibly powerful, it can even bypass the law of physics!"

"Most people around know what the Hypercube is." Tecmo continued. "It belongs to the CPU of Magnabox, Lady Odyssee, and her alone. As far as I know, she's the first CPU to ever exist in Gamindustri, before her competitors were born."

"Like what Tecmo said, Lady Odyssee holds the most powerful weapon ever created in Gamindustri. It can be dangerous to those who try to use it for evil, and I'm surprised that her cube ended up here..."

"Judging by what happened around this cave, this tesseract might be from our dimension, not this dimension." Noire speculated, with a pensive look on her face.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Koei asked, confused.

"I, Nep, and the others got warped into this dimension thanks to this tesseract! We've been trying to figure out how this thing works when that Underling smacked it, and sent us here!"

"Underling?" Koei frowned. "Who the hell is 'Underling'?"

"Eh, that's not the point, Koei." Neptune intervened, "Me and my friends just got, like, sent through a deep hole until we've passed out. The cube dragged us along with it."

"So you're saying that there's also this Hypercube from...your dimension?" Koei said, clearly not convinced. "I-I don't know… It sounds too...extraordinary, for me to digest."

"Hey c'mon, pal! Not like this is the first time I've traveled to a different dimension!" Neptune exclaimed, "Besides, last time I checked, there's even another Noire, in a different world! Who knows what will happen if the three of us were together..."

"N-Nep!" Noire blushed in embarrassment.

"Does that mean there are two Hypercubes in this dimension now...?" Tecmo asked.

"Uh, yeah." Noire nodded.

"Ugh...if that's the case, I'm kinda scared." Koei facepalmed.

"If it's really as strong as the other, then it would be double the trouble, right?" Tecmo nervously wiped the sweat from her face.

"Sadly, yes." Koei agreed, "Listen, we can't let it sit around here! What if someone found it and used it to do bad things?"

"Yeah, but last time we checked, we still don't know how to use this thing, hehe.." Neptune chuckled awkwardly as she lifted up the tesseract with her hands.

Right when the tesseract was about to touch her skin, it soared into the air, and hovered above her hands, which made her step back in shock. The tesseract then zoomed away from her, circling the group like a fairy, as it emitted a soft, whispering-like sound.

"Nepu-?!" She yelled, surprised by this unexpected development. "It can also do that?!"

"Underling must've woken this thing up. But…wow. It looks amazing." Noire said, staring at the flying tesseract in awe.

"It looks so beautiful..." Tecmo agreed.

"So that's how the Hypercube looks like." Koei exclaimed, with a look of fascination on her face. "Not just a simple weapon. Almost like it is…sentient..."

"Hello there, little cubey!" Neptune joyfully greeted the cube, spreading her arms in a hug. "My name is Neptune. What are you?"

In response, the Hypercube chimed back, and repeated Neptune's voice like a parrot, calling her name multiple times. Still hovering in the air, it swayed around her in ecstasy, letting out soft chiming sounds that felt quite pleasant to the ears.

"H-Hey!" she laughed, "Calm down, buddy!"

"Looks like the cube is quite fond of you. I wonder why."

"Hey, little cubey here ain't so bad after all, Noire." Neptune smiled as the Hypercube continued to nuzzle her cheeks.

"Whatever." Noire simply scoffed off, "If the tesseract can do that, can it also tell us the whereabouts of our sisters and friends, so that we can start looking for them?"

"Hmm, not a bad idea at all, Noire." Neptune nodded, clearing her throat a little before she started to speak to the Hypercube again. "Hey there, little cubey. Do you know where our sisters and our friends are right now?"

In response to her question, the Hypercube let out a few of its usual chimes, before it began to float away from them, hovering higher and higher into the air.

The girls thought that the Hypercube was moving away from them, until it started spinning around violently, its aura of light glowing even stronger. Koei and Tecmo were amazed at this sudden change, but the two did not share the same excitement.

"Oh no..." Noire yelled in terror. "Not again! Run! Before it-!"

Her warnings were cut off by a sudden burst of light, as glowing particles began to spread around the dark cavern. Above them was a sea of shining particles, like a constellation of stars shining and twinkling in the night sky. These particles started to shift and combine themselves together, eventually forming the shape of a landmass, which some instantly recognized.

"That's… a map of Gamindustri." Koei murmured quietly, amazed by this miraculous creation.

"I can see Planeptune, right there!" Tecmo also chimed in, pointing her finger to the city of Planeptune.

"Wait, what are those nations? They look so differently around here." Noire asked her, pointing to several locations on the map.

"Oh, those nations? Those were Balarch, Intellastion, Colesia, Affinatrix, and Magnabox." Koei answered as she pointed them out respectively, "Those were the nations around Gamindustri. There're like 8 nations around."

"That's… actually a lot for this dimension."

"That one looks familiar." Neptune said, pointing her finger to one of the nations. "It must be Tari, right?"

"That's Tari alright." she nodded, "The most prestigious nation right now in Gamindustri. The territory of Tari used to be so vast in Gamindustri, before their expansion was stopped by Magnabox."

"Huh, how so?" Noire wondered.

"The CPU of Tari wanted to expand their nation's power by conquering the whole Gamindustri, that's how they made their claim to fame. But Lady Odyssee sees their actions as very destructive, so she has to intervene and retaliate against them, in order to maintain order."

"Of course." Neptune shrugged, "How usual of her..."

"Well, Magnabox and Tari aren't really on good terms with each other, nor with the other nations, because they were too expansionist in their dealings."

"Alright then..." Noire nodded in understanding. "Well, besides that, we need to find the others, before they get caught up in this mess."

"Righty 'yo!" Neptune exclaimed, with her thumbs up.

"So uh, how do we get the Hypercube to help out?" Tecmo asked.

"I don't know, maybe asking it?" Koei shrugged, "Not like this is some kind of crystal ball that fortune-tellers use."

"Eh, might as well try that." Neptune also shrugged, "Hey, little cubey! Do you know where our friends are at?"

Certain particles grew brighter around the map of Gamindustri, sticking out like markers, as if pinpointing their locations. Some were inside the steampunk-ish nation, others in an industrialized nation, and lastly, across some kind of rural nation, separated from the mainland.

"Huh, looks like your friends and sisters were in Balarch, Tari, and Lowee."

"Looks like we're close to those from Balarch." Tecmo informed them, "Maybe we should go over there, first, before starting our search in Tari and Lowee."

"Yeah, that could work." Noire nodded, "But since one of them was in Tari, I hope they won't stumble across Rei over there.."

"Hehe, I guess so..."

"Since now we know where they are, let's hurry up and go find them!"

"Wait, hold on a sec, Nep." Noire interrupted her. "Even though they are the closest to us, they are still two nations away! Just look at the map."

"Yeah, walking all the way over there isn't that easy. We need to get ourselves a ride all the way to Balarch. If we don't, it would take us several days to get there."

"Sheesh.. That sucks!" Neptune frowned. "If only we had our CPU form back, we could fly ourselves all the way over there.."

"Wait, maybe you can.." Koei speculated, getting her and Noire's attention, "If my memory serves me right, the Hypercube's source of energy is the same power that the CPUs use. What if you can transform into your CPU forms?"

"What, really?! That can work?!"

"Only if you get the Hypercube on your hands. You can use its power, but you really can't give it away to someone else. Also, if you lose the cube, you'll lose your CPU form."

"That's still fine by me!" Neptune nodded, "Better than having to walk through all those nations just to get there."

"But what about me?!" Noire complained.

"Well, I'm sorry Noire, but it can only be used by one person." Tecmo responded, shaking her head.

"Don't worry, I'll lift you up while I'm flying." Neptune smiled.

"Ugh, fine! Just don't fly too close to the ground, or else some perverts might see my panties!"

"What if I don't?" she teased.

"N-Nep!"

"Just kidding, Noire!" Neptune chuckled.

"Alright then, you two will fly over there while Tecmo and I find ourselves a ride to Balarch. Got it?"

"Got it." she gave them a thumbs up.

Walking towards the Hypercube, Neptune reached her hands towards it. Trying to attract the attention of the tesseract, since it was far above her, she called out to the ominous, mystical cube.

"Hey! Cubey!" she shouted, "Please lend me your power, so I can use it to get my HDD Form back!"

Her request was met with soft chimes as the cube hovered closer to her, showing that it had accepted her request. It eventually got close enough for her to hug it in her arms. Suddenly, a strong, bright light erupted around the cube, engulfing her body and blinding the whole cavern.

Overwhelmed by the excessive brightness, the girls blocked their faces with their arms. As the light slowly faded away, the group could finally see her again, and they reacted with an expression of pure shock.

She was back, the one CPU that Neptune is iconic for, her HDD form. Wearing a tight, black bodysuit, she had sharp fairy-like wings on her back, and her hair changed from her usual short lilac hair to long, purple twin tails.

Her eyes also changed to a bright blue color, with a power sign at its center. Her transformation has really changed her drastically, though strangely, her breasts were also a lot bigger than before.

Noire seemed unsurprised by her transformation. Koei and Tecmo, on the other hand, were absolutely astonished, mouth agape in shock, like they couldn't quite believe what they were seeing right now.

"Wow.." Koei murmured, "You really are a CPU.."

"Neptune, I don't know you're this… beautiful and...well-endowed..." Tecmo stuttered.

"My, you flattered me, Tec`!" Purple Heart chuckled, "Haven't been like this for a while, since we've fallen into this dimension."

"Don't try to brag about it right now, Nep. You're only in your HDD form temporarily." Noire pouted in irritation. "We need to go to Balarch, right now!"

"Can't even wait for a few seconds? You really are in a hurry." Purple Heart replied, flabbergasted. "Fine, I'll fly you all the way there. You two can handle this, right Koei?"

"Right, Neptune." Koei smiled, "I'll meet you in Balarch."

"See you later, Neptune!" Tecmo followed, waving her hands at them.

"See you two later, then." Purple Heart smiled back.

She grabbed Noire's hands to lift her up as she hovered into the air. Since the Hypercube was still in her hand, Purple Heart proceeded to let Noire climb onto her back, and ride her like a horse. The cavern above was blocking her flight, and she suddenly had an idea.

"Hold on a bit, Noire." She informed her companion. "I got something to do."

"Huh, what's that?" Noire asked.

A purple katana began to materialize in her palm as she stretched out her free hand. After it was fully formed, Purple Heart gripped it tightly as she began to charge towards the ceiling.

"Hiyaa!" she shouted, rushing through the air with her sword out and ready.

With a single slash, she completely obliterated the ceiling as the entire cavern shook beneath them, filling the dark space with sunlight. Koei and Tecmo immediately ran away to seek cover from the falling rubble. Though it was quite a dangerous move, the two were still impressed by her sheer power.

"W-Woah!" Koei squealed in amazement. "A whole ceiling in one strike?!"

"That's amazing, Neptune!" Tecmo also cheered.

"Why thank you, Tec'." She smiled, winking at the two before departing into the skies with Noire.

* * *

_\- Balarch_

The sisters strolled through the more crowded parts of the city sector, where people were trying to purchase specific materials and tools related to the industrial workforce, either for automatons or robotics.

The marketplace is really cramped with all these sales going on, and they were having trouble passing through the crowd. Everything was a robust display of technology, but Nepgear was especially awed by the amount of curiosities on sale that would be perfect for her hobby. wishing for something like this back on their home.

"Wow!" She glanced around, in starry-eyed amazement. "Imagine something like this, back in our dimension! I would've bought almost everything in this market!"

"U-Uh yeah… sure.." Uni stuttered, even though she understood Nepgear's reaction.

"There are gears over there, tools on the right, equipment on the left...even machines?! This nation is really a paradise!"

"Uh, Nepgear?" Ram poked at her, befuddled. "Aren't you acting a little too excited?"

"Just forget about it, Ram. Guess it is really a big mistake to walk through here." she sweat dropped.

They continued their walk, even though Nepgear, still amazed by the goods, kept stopping by to check on every store. Overall, it was a somewhat rough day for them. First, falling off into a warehouse from the sky, then, having to struggle through a crowded marketplace.

Meanwhile, vendors and shop owners continued to advertise their products for their potential customers.

"Iron gears here! If yours are broken, we have plenty on sales!"

"Having a poor electrical bills? Can't use your radio? Say no more! Try our water-powered radio, where you never need to plug it in! We also sell water-powered televisions, with great discounts available!"

"Need a screwdriver, wrench, hammer, any tools? No worries! 'Cause we have every tool you would ever need!"

"Try out this cool, fancy crowbar! It may not look unique, but can definitely take a good beating! Available now with a 20 percent discount, and I'm not raising the price higher to the tens of 2 plus 1!"

"Just look at all these stuff!" Nepgear exclaimed in awe, "Can't we just buy everything and bring them home?!"

"Nepgear, we don't even have money in our pockets. Let's go already." Uni groaned as she dragged Nepgear away from another shop.

"So where are we, by the way?" Ram asked. "We aren't getting lost, are we?"

"I'm pretty sure this is the right direction, unless that old prick has lied to us..." Uni shrugged.

As they kept walking, they stumbled across a large, open space. A huge obelisk made of bronze was placed in the center of the square. Massive crowd moved through the place, with vehicles driving around the circular tracks that surrounded the obelisk.

Now that they were out in the open, they could finally get a better glimpse of the nation. Massive, robust buildings made of metal encircled the square, and even the ground beneath was covered in tiles, made in a decorative style.

"Woah!" Nepgear opened her mouth, astonished. "What is this place?!"

"Wow.." Rom mumbled. "It looks so… big."

'This must be some kind of town square'. Uni thought to herself. 'There are way too many paths around here, and we have no idea which one of them leads to Planeptune...'

"Guess we're lost." Ram shrugged.

"S-Shut up! At least we can try to ask someone for directions to Planeptune!"

"Hold it right there!" a feminine voice interrupted their squabbles.

Looking back, they see a pale girl standing behind them, with her hands on her hips, acting quite bossy. She was as tall as Lowee's CPU Candidates, with long, orange twintails, and bronze goggles that rested above her brown-ish flat cap.

Her outfit is somewhat steampunk-ish, though still simpler than others, consisting of a brown denim jumper dress over her white dress shirt, and a brown, short denim skirt above her long white socks that reached up to her knees. She also wears oversized brown gloves and leather boots.

"Where do you think you're going, you filthy scum? Trying to escape from your crime?"

"Oh hey look, this little girl is also lost." Uni said.

"W-Who are you calling a little girl?!" The bossy girl retorted. "I'm older than you-!"

"Aww~!" Nepgear cooed happily, "She looks so cute in that outfit~!"

"C-Cute?! Y-You damned little pedo-!"

"Hey, wanna come along with us?" Rom whispered.

"Yeah, we can play around and be friends if you want!" Ram also joined in.

"Ugh! Stop treating me like a child, you simpletons!" The girl complained, then shouted so loudly that it completely silenced them. "How dare you use such insults against a celebrity like me?"

"Huh?" Uni frowned, clearly not recognizing her. "We don't even know you."

"Gah!" The girl made a weird noise, like something had just been broken inside her. "W-Who are you?! Some dirty cave-dwellers that have never been so much exposed to the sun in a thousand years?! Or some kind of losers that failed so bad in history class, huh?!"

"...What are you even talking about..?" Nepgear asked, looking just as bewildered as Uni.

"Ugh, fine! I'll educate you a little bit..." The little girl groaned. "I am C-Grass, Gamindustri's greatest mind, patron of engineers throughout the land! I'm the reason that Balarch comes into existence, leading my people to build the finest technology, advancing science far beyond anyone's expectations!

Being the CPU of this nation, it is also my responsibility to get rid of shady suspects, like you idiots here!"

"Is it just me, or did she call herself a CPU?" Ram mumbled.

"Yeah, I think she's as delusional as she could possibly get."

"W-What do you mean by delusional?!" The girl screamed in anger. "You think I'm not a CPU, just because I'm a small girl?!"

"Come on, guys..." Uni sighed. "Let's just go and find our way to Planeptune."

"Hold right there yo-! H-Hey! Stop! Don't you dare walking away from me! I'm not done with you yet! Hey! I said stop!"

Even when she was shouting as loudly as she could manage, the sisters still didn't seem to take her seriously. As they started moving further away from her, the girl looked even more frustrated than before.

"So, you wanna play that game, huh...?" She murmured to herself. "Well, now it's my turn!"

"Jeez.. What kind of kid is she anyway?" Uni groaned as the sisters continued walking away from her.

Suddenly, the whole ground began to vibrate behind them, getting stronger by every second. Most people looked at the girl, realized that something was happening, and immediately ran away from the town square in fear.

The sisters still had no idea what was going on, as they saw a trail of smoke rising from the horizon.

"W-What's going on..?" Nepgear asked her friends, feeling a chill in her spine, like something bad was bound to happen.

A figure emerged from a distance away, approaching them at such an incredible speed, even the smoke was trailing behind. They couldn't get a better glimpse of it, until it halted right in front of them, and the girl jumped atop it. Scratching the ground with each dragging step, it kicked up a fog of dust that entirely enveloped the girls.

"Wah!" Uni gasped, coughing as the smoke obscured her vision, "What is that?!"

"Hah! Ain't acting so tough now, aren't ya!" C-Grass scoffed.

As the smoke around them started fading away, they soon realized that they were dwarfed by a behemoth of a war machine, standing right in front of them.

A large, heavily armored, non-humanoid mecha was towering over them like ants. Every external part of the bipedal robot were covered in impenetrable metallic platings that would put regular tanks to shame. Two eight-barrel gatling guns, made of bronze, were mounted on its arms, accompanied by armor-piercing autocannons attached above its shoulders.

Behind the mecha was a large rocket engine, responsible for propelling its body through the air, with several large flexible pipes attached onto its engine, and extending all the way to its innards, completed by a cockpit on its head. The intimidating machine built for battle was absolutely amazing to the girls, with Uni and Nepgear being especially overwhelmed.

"R-Robot?!" Nepgear gasped.

"G-Guns?!" Uni also exclaimed in shock.

"Heh, what do you think?" C-Grass glanced down from atop her mecha, with a cocky, bossy grin on her face. "Feeling envious yet? Hate to break this to you two, but I don't accept any bargains from dirty rats like you!"

"Hey! Who are you calling dirty rats?!" complained Ram.

"You called me a little girl first!"

Loud, rumbling mechanical noise roared from within the mecha, which was walking closer to them, shaking the earth violently with each step. Frightened by its horrifying sound, the girl could only stare into the barrels of the gatling guns aimed right at them, as C-Grass grinned wickedly.

"Do you have something else to say, you disgusting lolicons?" she smirked.

"W-Wait!" Nepgear sweatdropped, waving her hands violently towards the mecha, "W-We're really sorry about what we've just said to you!"

"Please!" Uni begged, "We really didn't mean it that way!"

"We just wanna get home.." Rom frowned.

"Hmph! Plead all you want, but there's no excuse for your crimes! Face your eternal punishments till the end of Gamindustri!"

"Eh? What crime?" Ram questioned.

"That one time you destroyed a whole warehouse, you little brat!" she shouted, extremely irritated by their ignorance.

"Oh yeah, hehe, that one.." Ram nervously chuckled.

"Ugh! I had enough of this!" The irritated CPU interrupted her, "Either surrender yourself to me, or I'll send you to a new world with my eight-barrel machine-guns!"

"Okay! Okay!" Nepgear trembled in fright as she held her hands up submissively.

"R-Ram.." the timid Candidate clutched her sister's hand even tighter. "I'm scared..

While the others were cowering before her, Uni, on the other hand, had a plan in mind, as she noticed a little alleyway between nearby buildings. Could be a perfect opportunity.

The mecha might be too tough to defeat in a one-on-one battle, but they could still escape by using its size against it. While C-Grass was demanding everyone to surrender, Uni instead gave her the finger by dragging Nepgear and the twins away from her, then started sprinting towards the alleyway.

"Sorry!" She taunted. "We don't accept bargains from a little girl like you!"

"U-Uni?! What are you-?!"

"W-Wah?!" C-Grass gasped in surprise, "Fine then! Death it is!"

Her guns began to charge up, spinning rapidly while aiming their barrels at the escaping sisters. Before the mecha was able to shoot them down, they took a narrow turn, causing all the bullets to ricochet off the walls in an embarrassing miss.

"Damn it!" C-Grass stomped on the mecha in frustration, "Can't you shoot faster?!"

The mecha responded to her with a loud rumbling noise, as if complaining that the miss was never its fault.

"Fine! I'll work on those guns after we're done with them!" Balarch's CPU grumbled in annoyance as she jumped inside to the cockpit, preparing herself for a chase, "Alright, chase after them! Use your booster!"

With a soft rumbling, the mecha adjusted it stance as its rocket engine began to wind up. Slowly throttling up its engine to full power, it hovered above the ground, then blasted through the air at an incredible speed.

The girls, meanwhile, continued to evade her, leaving her further and further behind as the mecha constantly bumped around the alley walls, clearly having trouble making its way through the narrow space.

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**

To clear up the representations in the work as a trivia.

_Balarch_ represents the company as the **Bally Manufacturing** _(1932-1996)_

_C-Grass_ represents the game console as the **Bally Astrocade **_(1978-1983)_, her name is adopted from its expansion system, _ZGRASS_.

All Makers (_Koei, Tecmo, Sir-Tech, and Origin_) were obviously representing to the game companies of the same name.

There's isn't much to say except for one thing. A credit to **u/Ryin_silverfish** for proofreading and fixed most of the grammar errors to polish the narration's flow.


	5. Trouble in Lowee

_\- Balarch (?)_

The chase went on, between the fleeing sisters and the CPU on her mecha. With the speed of the mecha's rocket thruster, it should have caught up to them long ago, but luckily, it was slowed down by the constant bumping around the narrow alley walls.

Despite having a slight advantage in speed, there was one more thing for them to worry about...

"Fire!"

Bullets sprayed out of the mecha's mighty guns, piercing through everything in its path. The girls were struggling to dodge them all, though fortunately, they managed to turn at another corner, briefly escaping from the mecha's sight. This was not to last, however, for the mecha quickly caught up to them, and continued its pursuit.

"Just run!" Uni screamed, even though they were getting exhausted from their long sprint.

"How can we lose it?! That robot is too fast!" Nepgear shouted back at her, panting.

"I-I don't know! There's gotta be some way for us to take it down!"

Sprinting on the dirty pavement of the alleyway, they heard more whining from Balarch's CPU, who had not stopped complaining, ever since the start of the chase.

"Ugh! Stupid idiot!" She groaned. "Keep turning your guns, every time you shoot!"

The mecha responded with a mechanical vibrating noise, as if it was somewhat embarrassed by its own forgetfulness.

"Fine!" C-Grass grumbled. "Use your cannons, instead of those pathetic gatling guns! Jeez..."

Because of their slow turn speed, C-Grass had now lost sight of their targets. Her mecha was scanning the surrounding area, calculating the whereabouts of its target, and the shortest path to their current location.

As it was busy calculating, C-Grass began to manually pilot her mecha through the messy alleyway. They had to smash through piles of junk that clattered the path, but at least it was not as bad as the constant bumping around the walls.

A minute later, the mecha finally picked up their location, and gave her the coordinates through its HUD.

"Ha!" She smirked as she makes a turn, out of the alleyway. "Gotcha!"

* * *

The Candidates dashed out of the alleyway, and found themselves back at the marketplace. Their expressions were one of pure horror as they looked into the massive crowd, but they still had no choice but to squeeze their way through.

"S-She'll catch up to us, if we get stuck in the crowd!" Nepgear cried out in fear.

"Can't we just fight that thing?!" Ram complained, which was met with a firm "N-No!" from her twin sister.

"Just blend in with the surrounding! This place is too crowded for them to find us."

"Oh goodness.." Nepgear sighed. "I hope so."

Right at that moment, something smashed through the wall behind them, which took them and the crowd by complete surprise. As the smoke cleared, they found their worst nightmare back, staring straight into their eyes.

"Here's C-Grass~!" The CPU mocked, standing above her almighty mecha, "Did ya' miss me?!"

"O-Oh no.." Uni murmured. "Run!"

"E-Excuse us, please!" Nepgear was sweating up a storm, as they pushed their way through the crowd.

"Jeez! Get out of the way!"

Panic seized the market, and the citizens began to run for their lives. It was a total mess, as the crowd fled in every direction, constantly bumping into each other, which made it even harder for the sisters to stick together in the midst of the chaos.

"Great, all these troubles, just to catch those idiots!" C-Grass sneered at the fleeing crowd. "Hey! Lift us up, and go get 'em!"

Following her order, the mecha stood still, its rocket thruster turning towards the ground. Charging up its engine, it started to hover in the air, before tilting its thruster slightly forward, and speeding towards the targets.

Now catching up to them, the mecha simply floated above the sisters as they made their desperate escape. Yet there was still a serious problem for C-Grass.

"Damn it...There are too many people around here. I can't just mow them down with my guns!"

Her mecha responded to her in a soft rumbling tone, which gave her an idea.

"Hmm, that's actually not bad..." She said. "Alright, do your thing!"

Something opened on its hull, revealing the barrels of a hook gun, with metallic rope attached to its back. Carefully aiming the barrel towards them, the mecha ejected the hook out of the gun at a high velocity, snatching up both Rom and Ram in one swoop, and starting to pull them towards the mecha.

"Wah!" Rom cried.

"Hey!" Ram yelled angrily, as she struggled to free herself. "Let us go, you bully!"

"You dare call me a bully?! Who do you think you're messing with, huh?!"

"Hey! Let go of them!" Uni demanded.

"Try me! Surrender now, and you'll still have a chance to survive my mecha's rampage!"

While glancing around their surroundings in a panic, Nepgear caught sight of something. She ran into one of the stalls, and grabbed a tool—some kind of metallic bar with small hooks on both ends.

"Really? A crowbar, Nepgear?"

"T-That is the only weapon I can find!" She yelled back at Uni in embarrassment.

"A crowbar? Haha!" C-Grass laughed mockingly. "What are you going to do with it? Smashing crates?"

Before they could fight back, something took all of them by complete surprise. Bombarded by several smoke grenades, both the sisters and the CPU were engulfed in a thick fog, their vision completely obscured.

"W-Wah?!" The sisters screamed in surprise. "What's going on?!"

"Who's behind this mess?!" C-Grass complained.

"Now's the chance!" An unknown voice shouted out to them.

Someone grabbed Nepgear and Uni from behind. They struggled wildly in a panic, trying to break free, but the grip was too strong, and they could not see the person in the midst of the fog.

Meanwhile, the CPU felt something breaking away from the hook. Her mecha flew higher, lifting them out of the fog, and, looking down, she noticed that hook was cut off, leaving only the rope swaying in the wind.

"Oh come on!" She let out an exasperated cry.

Screams continued to erupt from around the marketplace; the crowd was in full panic, and even the surrounding streets were getting swept up into this chaos. With all those people running around, they had completely lost sight of the sisters.

"Don't just stand there!" C-Grass barked at her mecha. "Find them!"

* * *

_\- Lowee (?)_

With how populated this city was, it might very well be the largest settlement in the entire nation of Lowee. Many shops stood alongside the main road, together with regular houses; several of those were multistory buildings. Despite being built with incredibly outdated materials, such as wood, brick and paper, the city was still a fascinating counterpart to the Lowee of their own dimension.

As the wagon made its way through the crowd, Blanc and Vert glanced out from underneath the sheet, completely awed by the beautiful architecture of the city, despite its obsolete technology.

"My~! What a lovely city we're in!" Vert commented in a sing-song voice.

"It's… actually beautiful. Even though everything around here looks so old..." Blanc said, before she remembered something, and turned towards the man driving the wagon. "Hmm? Where are we at right now, sir?"

"We're now inside the capital city of Lowee, ma'am." He informed. "I'll drop you two down, once the road is clear."

"I see. Please hurry up. My butt is getting sore..."

"Have some patience, will you, Blanc?" Vert sighed. "It's not like we are going to spend another hour in here or something."

"Good for you, but how the hell could I actually be comfortable, sitting inside this tight wagon?" She groaned.

The horses slowly moved through the crowd. It was just a regular day in the streets, and everyone was wearing their traditional outfits, like yukata, kimono, and haori. Most were peasants, wearing clothes that were dull, but practical and comfortable, carrying on their daily work as usual.

After exiting the tight streets, they finally emerged into an open area. The man stripped the cloth off the wagon, and gestured for them to get down.

"Alright, you should now be safe, as long as you don't wander too far away from the city. Best of luck to you two!"

"Why thank you~!" Vert smiled. "We are truly pleased to meet a fine gentleman like you."

"Great, now back off, thundertits." Blanc nonchalantly said as she hopped off the wagon, and started stretching out her arms. After sitting in the wagon for a whole hour, it felt so good to be out in the open again.

"Oh, and if you want to meet the CPU, go take the road at the right. You'll find the castle, surrounded by lots of fancy merchant dwellings."

"Sure thing." Blanc nodded. "Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome!" He smiled before hopping back onto his horse, and driving the wagon away.

"Let's go, Vert." Blanc said. "We should meet her first, before we explore this place."

"Huh? Alright then, Blanc...?" Vert shot her a puzzled look, before following her onto the road.

* * *

_\- Outside the castle_

Right in front of the large castle was a plaza, where merchants and well-to-do city dwellers gathered in groups. The castle's architectural style was similar to that of most buildings, but it was more beautiful and lavishly decorated, towering above the rest of the city.

The entrance was guarded by a few men, armed with long spears, wearing only minimal armor that made them look more like militia than actual guards. As the girls walked to the entrance, the men held up their spears to block their way.

"Oh, excuse us! We just wish to meet the CPU." Vert gave them a nervous smile.

"Lady Ivory Heart is not in the castle right now, so she can't hear any requests from the people. Sorry."

"Ivory Heart?" Blanc scowled, unable to recognize the name.

"She must be busy fighting the Console War..." Vert speculated. "Maybe we should take a walk around this beautiful city, while we wait for her to return?"

"Uh, sure."

Leaving the castle, they returned to the busiest sectors of the city. Most of the buildings were heavily decorated, built out of wood and stone, and the street signs were written in traditional calligraphy. The majority of the people were wearing black and white clothing—nothing too unique.

"Where are we going, Blanc?"

"Don't know. It's not like I know anything about this huge town. Where should we even start..."

"Ah, you must be tourists, visiting this land?" A smooth feminine voice came from behind them.

They turned back, and saw a tall, pale lady standing in front of them. She was wearing a red kimono dress, with a decorative obi carefully tied around her waist. Her pale-brown hair was bundled up in a knot, held together by a wooden rod, and her eyes were closed, though, for some reason, they felt like she could still see them.

"Where is your guide, though? Are you unable to find one?" she asked.

"Uhh, y-yeah. We're just touring the place, but we don't even know where to start." Blanc stuttered.

"Oh, how unfortunate. But worry not. I shall be your guide then."

"My, aren't you being a little too kind to us?" Vert sweatdropped.

"Mhm~! Don't be so embarrassed about it." She chuckled. "Besides, I have plenty of free time, for I live around here!"

"I-I see..."

"Well then, let me introduce myself properly, before our tour." The lady cleared her throat. "Ahem, my name is Famika, and I'll show you all the fascinating views in the city, as well as introduce you to Lowee's rich history. Are there any questions?"

"I do." Blanc raised her hand.

"Mh? What is it?"

"Do you know where the CPU is at, right now?"

Awkward silence seized the air as Famika stared at them, with a shocked expression on her face. She finally calmed down after a few seconds, chuckling weirdly to herself, while the girls looked on, completely bewildered.

"Uh?" Blanc asked. "Is there something funny about my question?"

"O-Oh no! Not at all!" She stuttered. "Y-You'll see the CPU, sooner or later..."

"Okay then..?" Vert frowned, still quite confused by her behavior. "Anyway, where shall we start our tour?"

"Just follow me, and you'll see!" Famika smiled.

So began their tour, the girls following closely behind Famika, their new guide, as they strolled through the streets leisurely. Famika gestured for them to stop and listen, in front of a common market.

"Lowee has been populated by humans in ancient times, even before the CPUs came into existence. No CPUs had set foot on this land, however, until the birth of our own ancestral CPU, during the First Console War."

"First Console War?" Vert repeated the three words to herself.

"Back then, it was a very chaotic time. Too many CPUs were born during that generation, which led to numerous battles. Only the strongest can earn the right to survive."

"And...what happened to your ancestral Goddess?" Blanc asked.

"Of course, she never made it..." Famika frowned. "I was born, right after her death. It was a very tragic loss, for the people of Lowee."

"O-Oh...I'm very sorry to hear that..."

"It's fine! Things have changed for the better, after the daughters of the ancestral Goddess inherited her throne."

"Daughters? As in, more than one CPU?" Vert noticed the unusual choice of words..

"Indeed. Two of them, to be exact." Famika pointed towards the distant castle. "Her daughters now rule over Lowee. Since technology has become so advanced in the outside world, they've decided to modernize Lowee, in order to improve the livelihood of their people. The land has always been this…traditional, for a long, long time."

"How fascinating..." Vert pondered, intrigued by the story. "But do her daughters have the same title? Are they both called 'Ivory Heart'?"

"Nope." Famika shook her head. "They have separate titles."

"But where's the other one, then?"

"Away from Lowee. This land is currently watched over by one of them, who decided to stay behind for their people. The other, meanwhile, has left her land, to find a better way of making Lowee prosper. The pair don't exactly see eye to eye with each other, when it comes to major decisions about their nation's future."

"Why is that so?"

"Many, many disagreements. Mostly about whether they should sacrifice their tradition for modernity, and vice versa. That's why the other sister left the nation, and seek to expand Lowee all on her own."

"That's rough..." Blanc sighed.

"The truth is..." Famika kept talking, with a wistful look in her eyes. "They have been like that for many years, ever since their childhood. Even the old folks around here know that they don't get along."

As they leisurely toured through the busy streets, Blanc and Vert noticed that people seemed to stare at Famika like she was some sort of celebrity. Whispering in awe. Stealing a few glimpses of her as the girls walked past them. This was...very strange.

"Does everyone here know you, Famika?" Blanc asked.

"Why, I've been living here for years." She simply responded with a cryptic smile. "It really flatters me, how they still admire my beauty~!"

"So you're like an idol then? You really do have a reputation around here, huh?"

"Oh please!" She chuckled. "You've only just met me!"

"Anyway." Vert waved at her. "Where are we heading now?"

They soon reached a large town-square, stretching into the horizon, almost half a kilometer wide. The ground was made of simple stone bricks, placed in a delicate pattern, framed by wooden tiles. Sakura trees around the square were at full bloom, their bright pink flowers soaring high above the girls, in all of their magnificent beauty.

"This is the old Fusajiro town-square." Famika explained. "One of the oldest structures in Lowee, constructed by the people who lived here, a few centuries ago, before the birth of the first CPUs. It has been around for so long, it's almost a vital part of the people's culture by now. Lot of old folks like to walk around here, to commemorate the past."

"For a centuries-old town-square, it sure looks gorgeous!" Vert said in awe.

"Yeah, the people have been blessed by its archaic beauty, for many years. Even our Goddesses like to stroll around here, once in a while."

"Hey." Blanc called out to her. "What are those people doing?"

She pointed at a pair of old men, playing cards on their table. The patterns on the cards were somewhat different, and it didn't look like a typical poker game.

"Oh, that? They're just playing hanafuda cards!" Famika almost looked a little mortified. "Those cards are quite popular around here. Have existed for a long time, as the game of choice for old folks—even I don't understand their popularity."

"Is Lowee always this traditional, or is it just out of touch with the outside world?"

"Huh, what do you mean?" Famika frowned. "Lowee has always been the least advanced nation in the whole Gamindustri."

"You said that the CPU doesn't wish to modernize her nation, right? Why's that so?" Vert asked.

"Well uh-"

Before she could answer, a shrill scream erupted nearby, and they turned back to see a young boy, being held hostage by a group of criminals. A robbery. No, kidnapping. People could only helplessly watch the boy getting dragged away by the thugs, who were threatening the bystanders with their swords.

"H-Help me!" The boy cried.

"Oh, shut up already! We're just gonna get some quick credits, from your rich father."

"P-Please..." He whimpered. "Don't hurt me..."

"Well, if you don't wanna get hurt, then shut your mouth, and be a good boy!"

"Oh dear..." Famika sighed as she stepped forth, taking a deep breath.

"Don't worry, Vert and I can-"

"Please don't..." Famika shook her head, and gestured for them to stay back. "I'll be handling this situation."

"But Famika! It's too dangerous!"

"Just watch, my dear tourists."

As she approached them, she extended her hand, and suddenly, something materialized in her palms—a beautifully decorated naginata. Holding the glaive-like weapon, she swung the huge naginata around her in a magnificent, steady stance, without breaking a single sweat.

Blanc and Vert could not quite believe what they were seeing. The thugs, however, immediately started trembling in fear, the moment they caught sight of her.

"I-Is that...?"

"Can't escape now! May as well try and kill her!" The leader shouted, as the group let out a roar, and charged at her.

They were almost right in front of her, their blades held up high in the air. Before they could even touch her, Famika struck at their legs with a single swipe, knocking all of them down.

One of them attempted to ambush her from behind, which was easily blocked by her naginata. She then struck his head with the blunt end of the polearm, and he slumped to the ground in a heap, unconscious.

Now it was a one-on-one battle between the leader of the thugs, and Famika. Still holding the boy hostage, with his blade placed on the boy's throat, he shot a murderous glare at her.

"Come on! Move any closer, and this boy will be dead!"

"Hm, how peculiar..." She sighed.

Famika was seemingly deterred by his threat, until she suddenly struck at the ground with her naginata, sending waves of dirt and debris into the air. Each swing was strong enough to create a rolling wall of dust. Everyone nearby was caught inside the fog, coughing and trying to shield their eyes from the dirt.

"What the hell's going on?!" The leader screeched, as he blindly swept at the air with his arms, temporarily letting go of his hostage.

As the dust cleared, he suddenly realized that Famika had disappeared from his sight, much to his surprise.

"What the hell?!" He cried out in alarm. "'Where the hell did she-?!"

His cries were quickly cut off by a hand-chop to the neck. Famika stood behind him, in complete silence, as he went limp and collapsed onto the ground. The boy, once he recovered from the shock, started bawling his eyes out.

"Waaahh!"

"Oh, hush now, my dear child..." She knelt down and hugged the boy into her arms. "You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."

The young boy continued to cry, burying his face deep into her chest. Famika kept comforting the crying child, smiling and gently patting him on the back.

"Now, now." she smiled, "I'll take you back to your family."

Lifting the boy up from the ground, she let him sit on her shoulders as she started asking him about the location of his house. Blanc and Vert had only barely recovered from their shock, after witnessing her flawless fight against that group of thugs.

"How…How did you do that...?" Blanc opened her mouth in awe.

"Aww..." Famika pouted, in an almost child-like, whining voice. "Could've kept my little secret a little longer, if these thugs didn't appear out of nowhere..."

"Huh?" Vert frowned. "What secret?"

"Alright. It is really rude of me to conceal my true identity from you." She sighed, and straightened her back. "I am Famika, one of the twin CPUs of Lowee, Ivory Heart."

* * *

_\- Lowee (?)_

IF, Compa, and their new friends had finally reached the capital city of Lowee, with Origin guiding their horse through the streets. Stopping at a suitable stable, they stepped down from the saddle, and onto the ground, before grabbing their stuff from the bags hanging at the horse's side.

"Here we are!" Origin proudly exclaimed, after she had finally found what she was looking for, inside her extremely messy bag. "The beautiful crown jewel of Lowee, the capital town!"

It was the first time that IF and Compa had actually seen the city of Lowee in this dimension. The aesthetic of the buildings were quite...medieval, yet something about them still bore a vague resemblance to the Lowee of their home dimension. Much like most of the snowy nation, the large city was very calm and peaceful, despite the crowd swarming the streets...not as fairy-tale-like as their Lowee, though.

"Woah..." IF glanced at the shops in awe. "This is way different than what I expect Lowee to be like..."

"Hmm, what do you mean?" Origin asked. "Lowee has always been like this, throughout the years."

"I'm just going to assume that you have never set foot in Lowee before." Sir-Tech scoffed.

"Still don't believe in me?" IF glared at the magician.

"I digress."

"Now now, Iffy!" Compa sweatdropped as she tugged on IF's sleeves, sensing the tension between them. "We've come here for the Basi—I mean, castle, right...?"

"Yeah, I know. It's been a good ride with you two."

"Why, yes." Origin smiled. "Well, I still have plenty of time, before the blacksmiths close their doors. Farewell, my sweet compeers!"

"And I'll be heading off to Fusajiro for the contest. It's going to take a while." Sir-Tech simply stated, as she packed up her magical items and departed from the stable.

"Okay!" Compa smiled. "Bye, Origin and Sir-Tech!"

IF and Compa waved the pair goodbye, and the two parties went on their separate ways. While Origin and Sir-Tech were simply off to pursue their interests, IF and her friend, on the other hand, had something more important in mind. They needed to find a way back to their home dimension.

"Guess they're right after all." IF shook her head in disbelief. "Everything looks so…bizzare around here. I don't remember anything in Lowee being this old."

"They're kinda old, but they still look beautiful!" Compa smiled, as she stopped by the side of the road, to adore the serene view of the town.

As they strolled around the streets, they quickly discovered that everyone was wearing some kind of historical clothing, which made their own unusual outfits stand out like sore thumbs in the crowd. They were unfazed, however, as they moved on, ignoring the weird looks they got from the pedestrians.

They eventually reached the busiest part of the town. The marketplace was bustling with sounds and smells, with all those vendors preparing sushi, ramen, and other cuisines. Compa was quite fascinated by this place; she glanced at the market one last time, with a sad look on her face, as IF pulled her away, prompting her to focus on their mission.

* * *

_\- Outside the castle._

In front of them stood a majestic castle, which was probably also the home of Lowee's CPU. IF and Compa's jaws dropped as they looked up at the towering structure, shaken to the core by its magnificence.

"Wow!" Compa's eyes sparkled in amazement. "It looks so beautiful!"

"This is the place." IF said. "Come on, there's no time to waste."

IF was in such a hurry that it took Compa by surprise when she grabbed Compa's arm, and rushed towards the entrance gate. A heavily fortified wall of stone bricks encircled the castle, and numerous men with spears could be seen, standing atop the watchtowers. Must be the CPU's guards.

They almost made their way through the gate when they were suddenly stopped by a group of guards, holding out their spears and blocking their path.

"Hold it right there." The guard captain pointed a finger at them. "What brings you here, to the home of Lady Ivory Heart?"

"Ivory Heart?" IF frowned.

"We just want to meet her, that's all." Compa smiled at the guard.

"I'm sorry, ladies. Lady Ivory Heart is not available at this moment. She hasn't returned to the castle yet."

"Oh, I see..." Compa lowered her head. "Do you know where she is, right now?"

"Somewhere around the Fusajiro town-square." He informed them, scratching his head. "She's probably taking a leisurely walk, but I don't think it would take her this long..."

"Just where Sir-Tech is right now..." IF said, remembering the magician's words. "Do you know the way to Fusajiro?"

"Yeah, just keep on walking to the right, and you'll see the large town-square ahead. Can't be that hard to find, since it is the most popular tourist site for foreigners."

"Alright, thanks." IF nodded. "Come on, Compa. We could find her there."

"O-Okay, Iffy, but!" Compa stuttered as she ran behind IF, having a hard time keeping up with her speed, "P-Please slow down! You're in such a hurry today!"

Determined to waste no more time on the road, IF made a beeline for the town-square as her friend trailed behind her, trying her best to keep up. Watching the duo disappearing into the crowd with a deadpan expression on his face, the guard captain soon returned to his post.

"Typical foreigners..." He scoffed. "Idolizing our Goddess, like total maniacs..."

* * *

After a lot of backtracking, IF and Compa had finally arrived at the town-square. However, as they spotted a certain magician in the crowd, they also saw the chaos she was currently staring at. Many had fled the scene, while others were cowering in fear. They had no idea what was going on, but it must be bad. Really bad.

Arriving in front of the square, they saw even more onlookers, clustering around the center. They still couldn't see what was going on, since there were too many people blocking their view. So, they just headed straight towards the familiar figure in hooded robe.

"Sir-Tech!" Compa called out to her. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

"Well, yes." She shrugged. "But our contest is cancelled, thanks to this incident...How very devastating and unfortunate."

"You surely have your priorities straight..." IF sweatdropped. "Still, what's going on over there?"

"Waaahh!" A young boy cried out.

Pushing their way through the crowd, they could barely see what is going on at the other side, but they caught a few glimpses of a young boy being comforted by a lady, hugging him into her arms and gently caressing his back.

"Now, now." The lady smiled. "I'll take you back to your family."

"Wow.." Compa could hardly look away from her, mesmerized by her elegant appearance. "Who is that beautiful lady?"

"Oh, her? That's Lady Famika, the CPU of Lowee." Sir-Tech nonchalantly informed them.

"T-That's her?! I thought the CPU would be more-"

"Wait a sec, Compa..." IF squinted into the crowd. "Did you see these two, over there...?"

She pointed towards two girls in the distance. One of them was wearing an oversized white coat, the other in an elegant green dress. The short girl with the white coat also had big, fluffy hat on her head, and the golden linings of the woman's dress made her large breasts stood out even more. Their expressions were as shocked as IF and Compa.

"L-Lady Blanc and Lady Vert?!" both of them gasped.

* * *

Meanwhile, Blanc and Vert were completely bewildered, their mouth agape and at a total loss for words. They didn't expect Famika to be the CPU, just an ordinary human who was quite popular with the crowd, until she revealed her identity through her flawless fight.

Single-handedly bringing multiple foes to their knees, while saving the abducted child...Now that the duo had lost their ability to transform, she really wasn't an opponent they wished to go against.

"My son!" A woman pushed her way through the crowd, panting in exhaustion as she ran up to the young boy. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

"M-Mom!" The boy cried, and ran straight into her arms.

The mother pulled her son into a tight embrace, while the boy kept on crying, his face buried in her chest.

"Thank goodness you are okay!" A tearfully smile appeared on her face, as she turned towards Famika, who was standing right next to her. "Lady Ivory Heart..."

"You have nothing to fear now, ma'am." She simply smiled. "I am more than happy to see your reunion with your son."

"Thank you..." She gave Famika a deep bow. "Thank you for saving my child...!"

"Happy to hear that! Just keep a closer eye on your son, next time. Something...shady seems to be going on lately, in the city..."

"I will." She nodded, before walking away with her child.

"That's really her?" Blanc murmured. "I never thought she would be this calm..."

"And gentle." Vert smiled. "She really is a fine, lovely CPU! I expect her to be a lot more scary, based on what the tavern-keeper had told us.."

"Maybe she's always like this, but only to _her_ people." Blanc speculated. "She might still be dangerous for us, though. Better keep our heads low."

"Hm?" Famika perked up, as she moved closer to the duo. "What are you talking about?"

"Uh, n-nothing!" Vert sweatdropped, "We just want to say how exquisite you are, as a fighter! It must be hard for anyone to keep up with your pace, right?"

"My~! That's just how I do things!" She cooed, quite pleased by the compliment. "It is part of my style, as a proper CPU."

"Lady Vert and Lady Blanc!" A familiar voice called out to them.

"Iffy?" Vert scanned the crowd in confusion, before she finally saw the two girls approaching them—a brunette wearing an oversized blue coat, followed by her pink-haired companion in wooly tank-top and red plaid skirt. Famika merely shot a curious glance at them, while Blanc and Vert immediately ran towards the pair.

"My! You're okay!" Vert joyfully exclaimed, as she gave both of them a huge hug.

"A-Ah!" IF yelped. "L-Lady Vert! Y-Your breasts are in my face!"

"Oh, I forgot." Vert quickly let go of IF, who was gasping for air. "I'm truly sorry, I'm just so happy to see you safe and sound!"

"We're okay!" Compa smiled, "Iffy and I are glad to be back with you!"

"Same." Blanc nodded. "Where have you been?"

"Got warped into a snowy forest, together with Compa." IF answered, still panting heavily. "We were knocked out by the fall, then we were saved..."

"By whom?" Vert asked.

"Us." a voice replied, from behind their back. It was Sir-Tech. "I and my friend found them in the forest, unconscious, so we brought them to our home."

"You two must be friends, right?" Famika chimed in, quite intrigued about those friends of Blanc and Vert, "Well then, you already know who I am, yes?"

"Yup!" Compa nodded. "Sir-Tech told us!"

"Oh, it is my pleasure to meet you." She smiled. "By the way, Sir-Tech, you came here for the competition, is that right?"

"Yeah." Sir-Tech simply nodded. "I'm disappointed, really. Hearing that it was cancelled, right after I got here."

"I'm truly sorry to hear that..." Famika frowned. "But no worries! The competition will be up again tomorrow. My guards are currently cleaning up the mess."

Caught in their conversation, the girls didn't notice that quite a number of guards had gathered around the scene. Right now, they were tying up the unconscious bandits on the ground, and carrying them into the wagons.

These guards were fully armed, with shortswords and daggers on their belts, wearing a full set of lacquered armor, durable enough to protect them against most blades. Most of them were samurais wearing scary Menpō masks, their katanas sheathed on their belt.

"Sir-Tech!" Another figure in armor emerged from the crowd. "I heard something happened around here-!"

It was Origin, her sword out and ready for combat, until she realized that the situation had already been dealt with, and sheepishly sheathed her sword. She ran up to her companion before she noticed the Goddess standing nearby, staring at her.

"Is she your friend?" Famika asked Sir-Tech.

"Yep." she nodded, "Her name's Origin."

"Oh. Thou art..." Origin came to a halt, as she saw the Goddess. "CPU of Lowee! Lady Ivory Heart!"

She quickly ran up to Famika, immediately kneeling down before her on one knee, like a true knight, lowering her head in a gesture of immense respect. Though Famika was as confused by this act of courtesy as the rest of them, she accepted the greeting with a small nod.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, milady!" Origin bowed to her, again, after standing up. "I've come to pay my respect, in thy regards!"

"Oh dear..." Famika chuckled. "You are quite the noble knight, hehe..."

"She's always like this, Lady Famika." Sir-Tech sighed. "You'll get used to it, sooner or later."

"I-I see..." Famika averted her gaze from the overly enthusiastic knight.

"So Lady Vert..." IF asked. "What have you two been up to?"

"Well, just like you and Compa, we find ourselves stranded in the wilderness." Vert answered. "Though fortunately, we didn't pass out, and manage to find our way into a village."

"Hm?" Famika raised an eyebrow. "You went into a village, without permission from the authorities?"

"Uh, n-no!" Blanc stuttered, nervously shaking her head. "You've misheard us, Lady Famika! We just walked right past a village, as we toured around the nation!"

"I don't recall any villages being that close to the city, though..." Famika pondered, with a pensive look on her face, and the duo were sweating up a storm.

"Uh?" Compa poked her on the shoulder. "Is there something wrong?"

"O-Oh, not at all!" Famika shook her head. "I just got carried away. Since you call them 'Ladies', are they your seniors?"

"Kinda, but not just our senior." The brunette blurted out, "They were also our CP-"

"No no no!" Blanc immediately cut her off, and put a hand to her mouth.

"Hmph?!" IF made a weird noise, as she was muffled by Blanc.

"Huh?" The CPU stared at them in confusion.

"Oh dear! She meant to say Cycling Patrons!" Vert chuckled. "We just love to drive around with our bikes back home, that's all!"

"Okay then...?" Famika still looked unconvinced. "Why make such a fuss about it, then?"

"S-She just loves to spoil our secrets, and we might have overreacted a little, hehe..."

"Can we talk to our friends for a moment?" Blanc asked. "Wouldn't take long."

"Uh, sure?" Famika frowned. "Go ahead...?"

Upon receiving a hesitant approval, Blanc and the girls quickly ran away, leaving a comedic puff of smoke behind. Origin was as confused as the CPU. Sir-Tech, on the other hand, did not seem to react to their strange behavior at all.

"IF and Compa have some odd friends..." Origin stared blankly into the distance. "And what is a 'Cycling Patron'? Sounds so weird for a cycling group..."

"I think we shouldn't be that bothered." Famika smiled. "Many people are into weird things, after all..."

Sir-Tech didn't even make a comment. She just looked on from a distance, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

* * *

Stepping into a dark corner, where people would barely notice them, Blanc finally released IF from her iron grip. Compa had no idea what just transpired, and was just following them out of naive trust.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, with an innocent look on her face.

"Yeah, a lot!" Blanc exclaimed.

"W-Wait..." IF stuttered, still panting from Blanc's hand. "What's going on?"

"Things could have gone really, really bad for us..." Vert sighed. "It's a good thing that Blanc stopped you in time, before the CPU could hear it."

"What? What's wrong with the CPU?" IF frowned.

"She is not who you think she is..."

"Same for every other CPU in this dimension!" Blanc added.

"Why, though?" Compa wondered. "She is so nice to us."

"Because she doesn't know we're CPUs!"

"Huh?" IF narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me they're this..."

"Hostile? You bet." Blanc answered. "Apparently, in this world, Console War is still a thing..."

"Console War?!" Compa's eyes widened as she heard the word.

"That's what we've heard from a tavern-keeper." Vert explained. "CPUs aren't friendly towards each other, at all. Worse, we've lost our HDD form, so if she figured out our true identity…"

"Then we would be as good as dead." Blanc sighed. "I hope my little sisters would be okay..."

"Yeah, hopefully..." IF facepalmed, hard.

"Iffy?" Compa put a hand to her shoulder. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"Right now, we have to keep it a secret." IF suggested. "Until we've found a way to get Lady Vert and Lady Blanc's power back, it's best to keep our lips sealed."

"But how do we get our powers back?" Blanc questioned, which is met with a shrug.

"I-I don't know, Lady Blanc." IF frowned. "Lowee here is so different, I'm not sure if there is even a way..."

"Guess all my doubts are proven wrong." A voice came from behind them, and they nearly jumped in fright.

"Sir-Tech?!" IF and Compa yelled.

"Hey! Why are you eavesdropping on us?!" Blanc glared at her.

"I apologized for my rudeness, but what I've heard is truly intriguing. Fascinating, really."

"Huh? What do you mean?" IF asked.

"Do you truly belong in this world, or do you come from another one?"

"Of course we got sent into this dimension." Vert responded. "Some of our friends are still missing, so we have to keep looking for them."

"Hm.." Sir-Tech pondered. "If what IF said is true, and you really were sent here by the Hypercube, then it must be..."

"Hypercube? What's that?" Blanc questioned, not recognizing the term.

"Lady Odyssee's weapon, the Hypercube." She clarified. "I thought someone just cast a teleportation spell on you. I never thought the cube possesses such immense power, enough to tear a hole through dimensions..."

"So you're saying that this…Hypercube…sent us into your dimension? Wow, what a surprise!" Blanc sarcastically groaned.

"What I'm trying to say is, if you want to get your powers back, I think Lady Odyssee may have an answer for you."

"Lady Odyssee? Who is she?" Vert asked.

"Lady Odyssee is also a Goddess in this world, Lady Vert. She's the CPU of Magnabox." Compa smiled.

"Magnabox? Sounds like someone just ripped off your nation's name, Vert."

"My, I wouldn't mind that. It's just a silly resemblance." Vert chuckled.

"Eh, anyways..." Blanc continued. "Why should she trust us, if we're CPUs?"

"Lady Odyssee is different from every other Goddesses." Sir-Tech stated, and everyone listened carefully. "Her Hypercube contains a world-breaking power, which only she can wield. I'm sure her wisdom is as powerful as her weapon."

"You think that would work?"

"Considering the Hypercube sent you into another dimension, I am sure it will work." The magician nodded.

"Hey!" Origin's loud voice came from the other end of the street, "Are you finished with your talk?! Lady Famika and I are getting tired of waiting!"

"Hmph, it's your decision after all." She simply turned away, and started walking towards her companion.

The girls were left in the corner, staring at each other, unsure if they should trust her words. Could it be a trap? Out of the four people, IF seemed to be the most receptive.

"Hey." IF called out to her. "Where we can find Lady Odyssee?"

"Now you trust me, after doubting me for so long?" Sir-Tech rolled her eyes at IF.

"Yeah, I don't believe everything you said, about what was going on..." She sighed. "Sorry. I'm just as confused as my friends."

"Hmm. you really are the stubborn type, huh?"

"Hey! Who are you calling stubborn?!" IF complained.

"Doesn't matter." She scoffed, before going back to their original topic. "If you want to find her, Magnabox is your destination. Or, if you're lucky, she'll find you."

"Huh?" The girls stared at her blankly.

"Who knows? Not like I speak for her." Sir-Tech adjusted her glasses. "Anyway, we should go now. Origin must be getting tired of waiting."

"O-Okay then..." Vert nervously smiled. "I didn't expect it to take this long..."

"Same." Compa agreed.

"We've been blabbering too much." Blanc groaned, "Let's leave this place already."

"Right." IF nodded, "Let's go."

* * *

_\- ?_

"Phew! That fight is whack!"

Linda wiped the sweat off her face, huffing. Not much was left of the Doggos that ambushed them, their slime splattered all over the trees and the ground. She lifted her slimy iron bar onto her back, then called out to her companion.

"Hey!" Linda yelled. "Are you done yet?"

"J-Just wait for me, chu!" Warechu panted in exhaustion, "How can you be so energetic? I can't feel my legs, chu..."

"It's been awhile since I give 'em some good beatings." A proud smile appeared on Linda's face. "Can't believe we got sent to this...whatever this place is. I sure hope that stupid cube is somewhere nearby so I'll break it like glass! Uh.."

Continuing their journey through the forest, the pair were casually strolling around the dirt path, and Linda seemed unconcerned that her jacket was still covered in slime. Everything seemed fine and dandy, until Linda suddenly noticed something, stopped dead in her tracks, and glared behind her.

"What's the hold up, chu?" Her companion asked, confused.

"I know you're hiding in there!" Linda yelled, as she pointed her finger at a tree. "Show yourself!"

A dark silhouette emerged from the shadows, standing on a tree branch before jumping down to the ground in one flawless motion, and revealing itself to the pair.

A pale teenage girl with black, short hair was standing in front of them, dressed in an unusually skimpy outfit, consisting of short jeans and a red tank top that exposed most of her midriff. She also wore a pair of black fingerless gloves and leather boots. Her eyes, however, was hidden behind black shades. Judging by her long muscular legs, she seemed to be an athletic type.

"You're so alert, aren't chya?" She grinned, giving Linda a thumbs up. "Real envy of ya', girl!"

"Just tell me your name," Linda glared at her, "and your reason for stalking us. Or I'll give you a good beating, as good as the one I gave to those stupid Doggos."

"Calm down~" She simply shrugged, with a smirk on her face. "I ain't no perverted sick freak-show. I'm just looking for a good deal."

"Good deal?" Linda sneered. "Get lost already! I don't have time for this!"

"Hey, c'mon~? Ya didn't give your partner a chance to chime in-"

"Back off!" Linda huffed in irritation. "Come any closer, and I'll beat you to a pulp!"

"O-ho ho ho!" She laughed, with a wicked grin on her face. "Trust me, ya' don't wanna know who you're messing with, pal."

"Oh yeah?" Linda smirked. "Then how about this!"

Linda immediately charged at her, with her iron bar out, ready to strike down her foe in one swoop. No mercy. A sinister grin flashed across her face.

But she did not expect her attack to be blocked by her foe's bare arm, who then kicked Linda squarely in the chest, sending her flying through the air.

"G-Gah!" The delinquent gasped in pain, as she crashed into a tree.

"L-Linda!" Warechu yelled.

"Nothing to worry 'bout, little rat!" The girl boasted, and shrugged at Warechu. "I ain't gonna kill your pal or something. Just giving her a little...knock."

"Tch..." Linda growled, as she picked herself up from the ground. "You think that's all?!"

"Still standing, huh?" She teased. "Surprise me more, 'Linda' gal!"

Linda had her iron bar in a tight grip as she stood up, and made multiple swings at the rowdy girl. She flawlessly dodged them all, before pushing Linda back with another kick. She managed to block it with her crowbar, this time, though the force still made her hands numb as she slid through the dirt.

"The hell are you?" Linda groaned.

"Huh? Never heard of the most famous gun-slinger in Gamindustri?" She taunted. "Oh wait, my bad, more like _infamous_!"

"What the hell are you talking about?! We don't even know you..."

"Hmph, must be a hell of a secluded life you're livin'. Alright, fine. I'll introduce myself to you." She cleared her throat. "Name's Nukem. Might be hella' weird name for ya', and people 'round here called me the Duchess. I'm livin' in the highs, as high as my reputation for committing infamous crimes throughout Gamindustri!"

"And you think that's a good thing?" Linda frowned.

"C'mon? What's wrong with being one of the biggest, baddest criminals 'round the world? Is not conforming to the rules of society that bad? Jeez, you must be fun at parties..."

"Just get straight to the point, Duchess!" Linda interrupted her. "What do you want from us?!"

"You, of course." She smiled as she walked around the delinquent, keenly eyeing her body. "Look at ya', all athletic and enduring, and your rowdy persona really spices it up! Suits my taste perfectly for the job."

"The hell, you're talking like a complete creep..." Linda groaned, again.

"A job?" Warechu peeked from behind a tree.

"That's right, you little rat~" Duchess winked at him. "Linda here is a perfect model for a runner, enough to join our greatest heist that shall forever put us on the pedestal of fame!"

"Hey!" Linda protested. "I'm not gonna be a runner! I ain't no coward! I can fight, like I did against you! Why do you think I'd be happy with such a stupid job?"

"You're really a hot-headed one, aren't chya?" She teased. "Besides~! We have enough accomplices to take care of the fighting. All you have to do is to deliver the packages to us, and you'll be showered with credits, after we pull it off!"

"But what if I don't?" The delinquent glared at her.

"Oh well...Guess I'll have to find someone else. It would be a waste, really. You got talents, and it makes you a perfect suit for our job." She shrugged.

"Tch, as if I'm some clueless idiot who would join this stu-"

"How much credits do we get out of this, chu?!" Warechu cut in, truly intrigued by the possible rewards.

"Well, by the roughest estimates...It would be 'round millions for your cut. There's a reason why we're doing this! It's probably one of the most daring heists we've ever planned in our lives!"

"Linda!" Warechu squealed. "You gotta join them!"

"E-Eh?!" Linda scowled in surprise. "The hell's wrong with you?!"

"Imagine having millions of credit in our pocket. We could buy ourselves more rich, luxurious goods than we would ever need!"

"I ain't sacrificing my loyalty of ASIC for that!" Linda retorted. "You really need to stay out of this stupid robbery thing..."

"Huh, ASIC?" Duchess raised an eyebrow. "Is that some kind of a criminal group? Never heard of that name, in the criminal underworld."

"None of your business! Ugh, come on, Warechu! We need to find a way to leave this world..."

"World? There's no lands other than Gamindustri!" Duchess said. "You lost or somethin'?"

"Lost? Nah." She shook her head. "We're in this…whatever this forest is."

"Just be honest." Duchess looked at her with a deadpan expression, "You don't even know where you're going."

"Shut up!" Linda complained. "I ain't taking advice from some old raggy woman like you!"

"Well, whatever you say~!" She teased, and threw up her hands in the air. "Not like I could force you into it."

"Ugh, whatever!" The delinquent groaned. "Come on, Warechu. Let's just get out of here..."

It was an awkward moment for both parties, as Linda and Warechu continued their walk through the forest, still unsure where they were heading towards. Duchess, meanwhile, just blankly stared at the duo, as they moved further and further away from her.

Sighing in defeat, she was about to leave when the radio on her belt started beeping.

"Hey!" An impatient voice called out from the radio. "You got the girl or what?"

"Nah, it was a rough start." Duchess grinned. "But I ain't giving up on her, just yet!"

"Ugh, come on! Duchess!" The speaker groaned. "Just find another one, then. What's so special about her?!"

"Cause' she got some real potential inside her." Duchess replied, a strange glint flashing through her eyes. "Now, I ain't have time for chit-chats, so I'll call you up later."

"Hey! We aren't done with this-!"

Immediately hanging up, Duchess proceeded to sprint after the duo, kicking up a dirt storm behind her. The delinquent saw her coming, and let out another groan.

"What the hell?!" Linda complained. "You wanna get beaten up this badly?!"

"Nah, just happened to head towards the same place." She winked. "Need some refreshment, from the capital city of Tari."

"W-Wait!" Linda yelled in surprise. "Tari?!"

"Yeah, what's up?" Duchess frowned. "You act like that you've never heard of Tari before..."

Before she could answer, a loud shockwave blasted through the sky, shaking the nearby trees violently. They all felt it—Linda and Warechu almost fell to the ground in their shock. Shadows started to engulf the sky, as more ominous noises came from above.

"What the hell is that?!" Linda yelled.

"O-ho ho ho!" Duchess clapped her hands in glee. "It's starting! The show is on! I wish I've brought some popcorn!"

"What's going on, chu?" Warechu eyed the sky nervously.

"Just watch the sky!" Duchess advised, as she climbed up a tree, to get a better view. "The show's getting started!"

* * *

The winds were howling, sweeping through the woods with enough speed and force to uproot a tree. Clouds started to swirl around the sky, which was getting darker and darker as the sun vanished behind the thick clouds. Right at that moment, two figures flew across the sky, engaged in a fierce battle against each other.

The brown-haired figure was holding a brown tesseract that hovered above her palms, while the white-haired figure also had an orb made of plasma floating around her, accompanied by two trapezoid-shaped rammers.

"It seems like you haven't given up yet..." The brunette spoke, in a soft voice. "You truly have a sense of pride and determination, glowing deep within you."

"Hmph! Of course I'm determined to fight against you!" The white-haired woman retorted, as she charged up the pulsating orb. "I shall not stop until Magnabox is sunken into the ocean!"

With a quick swipe of her hand, she launched the orb forth violently, causing the projectile to shoot towards her opponent like a jetstream, at a speed fast enough to break through the sound barrier. Even as this dangerous weapon was flung towards her, her opponent still has a tranquil look on her face, like she was not currently engaged in a deadly battle.

"As always..." The brunette sighed, aiming her tesseract at the incoming orb. "Your pride has blinded you to your true weakness..."

She opened her palm, and her tesseract flew through the air, at a speed so fast that the force created a wind blast around her. The tesseract and the orb were moving closer and closer towards each other, almost igniting the air in between them.

When the collision finally happened, a gigantic explosion erupted in the air. The force of this explosion was as powerful as a nuclear bomb detonation, capable of destroying anything in its immediate vicinity. Fortunately, they were so high up in the sky that the explosion didn't reach the grounds, but the massive flare of light was still visible from several miles away.

After the contact, the brunette was still hovering in the air, as calm and composed as before. The other woman, however, tumbled back from the recoil of the explosion, almost blown away by the violent wind.

"G-Gah!" She gasped in pain. "Damn you!"

She readied another attack, her dual rammers slamming towards her opponent, like spears flying at the speed of sound. It was soon deflected by the brunette's tesseract, however, and the rammers ricocheted off an invisible force field before they could strike their intended target.

"I have warned you before." She said, and stretched out her arms once again, allowing the brown tesseract to fall back into her palms. "You may have a grand dream for your people, but your ideal is far too destructive for the entire Gamindustri. I won't let your dream become a reality..."

"Tch..." The woman growled, as her rammers also hovered back to her side. "Mark my words! The day I bring you down, and reduce your nation to ashes, will be the day that Tari rises to rule over the entire Gamindustri!"

Throwing down one last promise of revenge, the white-haired woman flew away, into the distant horizon. The sky began to clear up in the aftermath of the conflict, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, once again. The brunette sighed, and right at this moment, she heard a chime, coming out of her tesseract.

"What?" The brunette stared at her weapon, slightly puzzled, before her tesseract let out another chime.

"Hmm. I feel something...or someone…intertwining with our world..."

* * *

**Author's Note**

_Famika_ represents the game console as the **Family Computer** _(1983-2003)_

_Duchess_ represents the game franchise as **Duke Nukem** _(1991-2016)_

_Fusajiro town-square_ is named after **Fusajiro Yamauchi**, the founder of Nintendo.

A credit to **u/Ryin_silverfish** for once again, proofreading and adjustment of the grammars and wordings.


	6. Space Galactic Rangers

_\- A while ago._

The two figures flew across the sky, unleashing powers that was destructive beyond their wildest imaginations. Linda and Warechu were flabbergasted, their mouths agape at the sight, while the rowdy teen, Duchess, just seemed excited to watch this fierce battle.

"Yeah!" Duchess cheered. "Go knock her down like a fiddle!"

"Woah..." Linda murmured in awe. "Just who are they...?"

"Eh?" Duchess raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

"Are they even that big of a deal, chu?" Warechu frowned.

"Well duh. Everyone in Gamindustri know these two. Hmm...first, you don't know where you are. Now, you don't know who _they_ are? You two must be really out of touch."

"Hey! Shut up!" Linda retorted. "Just tell us who they are!"

"No. Unless you join our heist."

"Tch..." Linda narrowed her eyes in irritation. "You still haven't given up, huh?"

"Do I look like I'm denying it?" Duchess shrugged. "Just shut your hole, and enjoy the show."

"Grr..." Linda growled, before she stormed off to find a better spot. "Fine!"

The fight continued on, growing more and more intense as the two figures exchanged blows with their weapons. The moment they pulled away from each other, one of them imbued her orb-like weapon with a burst of energy, before ejecting it through the air at a supersonic speed.

"Ohh!" Duchess clapped gleefully. "Here comes my favorite part!"

The other figure simply aimed her hovering cube-like weapon towards the approaching orb. Right at that moment, the rat-like monster finally noticed something.

"Hey Linda." Warechu called out to his companion. "Doesn't that cube look familiar, chu?"

"What?" Linda scoffed.

She glanced up, and saw the cube with a brown-ish glowing aura, and a distorted form that gave her headaches just by looking at it. Almost immediately, she realized what it was, and started screaming her lungs out.

"That's the stupid cube!"

The cube was then flung through the sky, already breaking the speed of sound a few seconds after its launch. It flew directly towards the orb, igniting the air and leaving a trial of sparks behind it.

A tremendous explosion erupted from the point of their collision, and the sky was immediately engulfed in flames, obscuring the sun as the explosion continued to expand through the air. A fierce wind blast soon followed, knocking down everything in its path.

"W-Wah!" Warechu squealed, as the wind swept him up from the ground.

"Hold on!" Linda reached out her hand, and grabbed Warechu's arm. "D-Damn it! What the hell just happened?!"

Linda gripped tightly onto a branch for dear life, as the pair struggled to stop themselves from being blown away by the violent wind. The poor branch, however, was too weak to support their weight, and snapped in half with a clean crack.

Screaming for their lives, their tumble through the air was abruptly stopped when someone caught Linda in a tight grip, and pulled her into her arms. It was none other than the rowdy teen.

"Need a hand?" Duchess teased, with a huge grin on her face.

"How the hell aren't you blown away?!"

"Gotten used to that. Just try to hang on to somethin' next time, ay?'"

After a few more rounds, the violent wind started to die down, and the cloud of smoke above the sky was beginning to dissipate. The pair immediately collapsed onto the ground with a huff.

"Aw!" Linda gasped in pain as she face-planted into the dirt, followed by her companion.

"Why does this always happen to us, chu...?" Warechu groaned.

"Well, on the bright side, you are still alive and kickin'." Duchess winked. "All thanks to who? C'mon, make a guess."

"Shut. Up." Linda mumbled.

Another sharp sound came from the sky. They could not see anything through the smoke, but it sounded like something bumping against a hard barrier. The rowdy teen huffed in irritation as she jumped from branch to branch, trying to find a spot where the smoke did not block the view of the fight.

When all the smoke had dissipated into clear air, they found that both flying figures were gone, and sunlight shone through the forest once again. Duchess frowned, clearly displeased about their sudden disappearance.

"Aww..." She whined. "I missed their final moves! Darn these stupid clouds!"

"Ugh, more like that stupid cube!" Linda scoffed. "We wouldn't be here, if it wasn't for that stupid cube!"

"Huh?" Duchess asked. "Do you mean the Hypercube?"

"Hypercube, stupid cube, whatever! It's...Hyper-stupid cube, then!"

"Aren't you the one that brought us here in the first place, chu?" Warechu pointed out.

"S-Shut up!" Linda stammered. "It's not like I know how it works!"

"Yeah, trying to smash that cube would totally make it work, chu..." Warechu sighed.

"Oh come on!" Linda yelled. "Don't give me that stupid face!"

"Woah, girl! Mind your language!" Duchess put a hand to her back. "Seeing how hot-headed you are, you'll be turning into a volcano with all those pent-up rage!"

"Whatever!" Linda smacked her hand away. "Anyway, what the hell is this 'Hypercube' thing?"

"Hmm?" She teased. "I've already helped you out for free, just now. What am I getting in return, this time?"

"Rghh!" Linda growled. "Are you really that determined to make me part of your stupid team?"

"Not just any stupid teams." Duchess corrected her. "A team of top-notch, deadly, gun-wielding fools like me, with the greatest reputation in the criminal underworld! Just admit it, you need our help. You don't even know where you two are, right now."

Linda gritted her teeth. She wanted to beat this girl to a pulp so badly, but she knew she had no chance of winning. She clenched her fists even tighter at the smug, teasing grin on Duchess's face, before Warechu interrupted the silence with a question.

"Well, Linda, do you know where we are, chu?"

Linda finally let out a deep sigh, after some futile pondering, and turned to the rowdy girl with a look of sheer contempt on her face.

"Urgh! Fine..." Linda groaned. "I'll join your stupid team. But it's only temporary, got it?!"

"Hehe, you bet." Duchess chuckled, and reached a hand out towards Linda, "Welcome to the A-Squad, pal."

"At least it's better than being called Underling..." Linda mumbled, as she reached her hand out, too, for a half-hearted handshake.

* * *

_\- Planeptune (?)_

Soaring through the skies, Neptune, in her HDD form, kept on flying, and Noire could see the whole city in bird's eye view from her back. The city was immensely huge, stretching out for kilometers on the horizon. All the buildings were more blocky and bulky, compared to the Planeptune they knew. Most were made of concrete, and the towering skyscrapers either had entire panes of glass as their walls, or numerous windows scattered across their shiny surfaces.

Streets were already flooded with traffic as pedestrians scurried between the blocks. It was really the rush hour in this Planeptune, and the pair were awed by the majestic view of the busy city.

"Wow..." Noire exclaimed. "Planeptune is this busy, even in another world. I wouldn't want to live around here, with all the dense traffic."

"Hmph." Purple Heart rolled her eyes. "You're more worried about the dense traffic, than the air pollution in Lastation?"

"Hey!" Noire protested. "At least I'm trying to work on it!"

"Sure you do..."

They continued their flight above the modernized city, the wind soaring through their ears as Purple Heart held onto the Hypercube with both of her hands. Suddenly, Noire spotted a figure in the distance.

"Hey, Nep." The black-haired teen poked her on the shoulder. "I think there's someone following us."

"Wait, what?"

Purple Heart turned back, and saw a blurry silhouette, hovering in the air. They were too far away to catch a clear sight, but a light was coming out from the figure, getting closer and closer, and panic seized the pair as they realized they were being shot at.

"Look out!" Noire screamed.

The laser beam hit Purple Heart squarely in the torso, striking her down and causing the pair to crash into the populated city block beneath. They landed in the middle of the road, and the crowd immediately dispersed in a panic. Fog of dust covered Noire's sight as she stood up, waving frantically to clear the dust.

"N-Nep?!" She coughed.

She finally stumbled upon Purple Heart, well, now Neptune, after blindly fumbling her way out of the fog. Neptune was lying unconscious on the ground, still holding the Hypercube in her hands. Gasping, Noire immediately ran up to her, and held her up.

"Nep, are you okay?!" Noire yelled into her ears, shaking her limp body. "Wake up!"

The lilac-haired girl coughed weakly, as she slowly opened her eyes, wincing in pain at the impact of the blast. It was a miracle that the pair was still alive at this point, though their fortune would not last for long.

"Uwaa...?" Neptune groaned. "W-What just happened...?"

At that moment, the unknown attacker landed right in front of them, and a bright light soon engulfed their body. Noire quickly lifted Neptune up from the ground, and moved away from the figure.

A teenage girl was standing in front of them, wearing a white shirt under her black vest, along with a lilac plaid skirt, complemented by black stockings and high-heels. Her elegant purple hair flowed down her back, tied in a lavish ponytail. Her left hand was on her hip, and she held a black laser pistol in her other hand, with a very sharp, clean and flat design. It had been fired recently, and smoke was still coming out of its barrel.

"Well, well, well..." She chuckled at the pair, playfully spinning her pistol. "What's this new CPU doing in my nation?"

"Who are you?!" Noire hissed. "And why did you shoot us down?!"

"Never heard of Planeptune's CPU, huh?" The girl shot them a curious look. "Well, my name is Nakayama, and I'm the CPU of Planeptune, Lilac Heart. Now, would you please step aside, so I can kill her, right here, right now?"

"H-Huh...?" Neptune stared straight into the barrel of her pistol, now aimed at her.

"No way!" Noire retorted, as she shielded Neptune with her own body. "I'm not letting you kill my friend!"

"I see..." Nakayama sighed. "Guess I'd have to kill both of you."

She didn't hesitate to press the trigger. Before the laser projectile could hit her, however, it was deflected by a katana. Neptune, now back in her HDD Form, was standing in front of Noire, her stance still a little shaky from her injuries.

"Don't you dare do that to my friend!" Purple Heart glared at her.

"Hmph." The girl merely scoffed. "Try me."

Purple Heart charged towards Nakayama, dishing out multiple swings and slashes, but her foe simply dodged all her blows with ease, before firing multiple shots with her pistol. Deflecting the onslaught of projectiles, Purple Heart was still knocked back by the impact, and it was at this moment that Nakayama decided to strike up a conversation.

"What's your title? And which nation do you belong to? You look new around here." Nakayama raised her eyebrow.

"I am Purple Heart, and I am the CPU of Planeptune!" Purple Heart yelled, as her blade smashed into the ground, but it missed its target as her foe dodged away at the last second.

"Did some of my people decide to revolt against me, then?" Nakayama frowned, before she shook her head. "Doesn't matter. I will not let an imposter take over my reign!"

Purple Heart charged straight at her, her katana aimed at her foe's chest as she dashed forward for an impaling stab. Her blade did not strike flesh, but merely bounced off an invisible force field that surrounded Nakayama.

"W-What?!" Purple Heart yelled.

Leaping back, she landed next to Noire, and noticed a deck of cards hovering besides Nakayama, who was now holding a single card in her hand. A few cards were circling around her—these must have created the force field.

"Rune cards." The girl waved her cards at them, smiling. "My primary weapon. My pistol here is just my sidearm, and you give me no choice but to use these."

"Why did you attack us?!" Purple Heart shouted. "We haven't even done anything to you!"

"Why?" Nakayama glared at them, as a few of her hovering cards started glowing red. "Because I want to prove myself as the strongest CPU in the whole Gamindustri. You're also a CPU, so why are you so naive about the current Console War?"

"C-Console War?!"

"CPUs like you and me, we're always at each other's throats since our birth." She continued. "And if you _are_ the CPU of my nation, then I'll have even more reasons to kill you!"

She flung her cards towards them in a quick swipe, creating a chain of explosions as the cards detonated on impact. Purple Heart dodged her attack with haste, while Noire stood there, stunned.

"Ack-!" Noire finally recovered from her shock, as incoming debrises hit her in the face, and she barely blocked them with her arms.

"What makes you think you're more than an enemy?" Nakayama continued speaking, as she prepared another attack with her rune cards.

"You think that CPUs are supposed to act like friends towards one another, huh? The Goddesses have always been like this, ever since the First Console War. Do you honestly believe you can change anything?"

No matter how many times Purple Heart retaliated against her, her katana could not penetrate that impervious force field. She continued to slash with her weapon, despite the ineffective damage.

"Gah! Yes I do!" Purple Heart barked, attempting to pierce the force field with her blade, to no avail. "Because in our world, no matter how the CPUs annoy each other, they will still see each other as friends in the end!"

The force field finally gave away after a flurry of strikes, but right at that moment, a rune card was flung straight into her chest, which exploded on impact and sent her tumbling back. That last attack was enough to revert Purple Heart back to her human form, and she fell limp on the ground, unconscious.

"N-Nep!" Noire cried, as she quickly ran up to her.

Before she could reach her, the CPU threw another rune card towards her, creating a force field that caged her inside like a rat. She tried to punch her way out, but her strength wasn't enough to break it.

"Hey!" Noire screamed. "Let me out!"

"You've been enough of a distraction to my job..." Nakayama sighed, before murmuring to herself. "Seriously, 'our world'? Is she suffering from delusion, or is she really this stupid?"

Standing before the unconscious Neptune, she placed another rune cards onto her palm, and aimed it toward her limp body. There was nothing in her eyes but a cold lust for death.

"Your existence as a goddess would be quite short, indeed." She whispered, with the full intent to kill.

Before she could strike, she was suddenly caught in surprise by the light that erupted from her foe's hands. The cube-like, glowing object hovered over Neptune's body, emitting frantic chimes, and the moment Nakayama saw the Hypercube, she stopped dead in her tracks, with a petrified look in her eyes.

"N-No..." She let out a horrified whimper. "I-It can't be!"

Within seconds, a force field spell was up around her as she hurriedly summoned her cards. But it was of no use, as the Hypercube charged towards her, tearing through the barrier like paper and striking her down. The immense force from the impact sent her flying through the air, and crashing into a nearby building.

She was knocked out in one hit. The force field around Noire broke into pixels, freeing her from her narrow cage.

"Nep!" She yelled again, as she quickly knelt besides her unconscious friend. "A-Are you okay?!"

Neptune did not respond to her, still drowsy and groaning from the pain. It was fortunate that she was alive after that blast to her chest, but it would be dangerous to leave her in this state. Meanwhile, the Hypercube flew back to the pair, still softly chiming.

"Thank you..."

* * *

_\- ?_

Neptune slowly regained consciousness, feeling the wind brushing past her pale skin and her lilac hair. Slowly opening her eyes, she realized that she was in the sky, and she could see many clouds from this height.

"Huh?" She mumbled. "Where am I? D-Did I just die and get sent into the spiritual world?!"

"No, you idiot!" A familiar voice yelled back at her.

It was Noire, well, in her Black Heart Form, wearing a black leotard suit with wings on her back. Her hair also changed to a white color, and her blue eyes had power symbols in them.

Neptune was actually resting above her back, as Black Heart flew through the sky with the Hypercube in her palms. She let out an embarrassed chuckle, scratching her head.

"Hehehe..." Neptune giggled. "You got me there for a sec'."

"It's not the time to joke around, Nep!" Noire complained. "You nearly died back there!"

"Fine! I'm kidding! Still, where's the CPU of this Planeptune?"

"She? Let's just say that the Hypercube fought back, while you're unconscious."

"Woah, really?!" Neptune gazed at the cube in surprise. "I didn't know that little cubey can fight!"

The Hypercube let out a delightful chime in response.

"Why, thank you!" Neptune smiled. "Little cubey here never fails to surprise me!"

"Whatever you're talking about, we need to focus on finding our sisters!" Black Heart replied. "It should take us some time to get there..."

"Oh c'mon, Noire. Can't ya' give the good ol' protagonist a rest? My body is still sore..."

"Hey, if you're the protagonist, I think you'd do more than just lying on my back?" Black Heart teased. "I guess _I _should be the protagonist in this state."

"Nepu-?!" She squealed. "Hey! You can't steal that! Only I have that title!"

"Then just shut up! I don't want a whole flight with you talking non-stop."

"Aw, just cheer up a lil' bit!" Neptune sweatdropped. "We're working as a team! We should get them back in no time!"

"Ugh! Fine!" Black Heart groaned. "Just sit tight and don't do anything stupid!"

"Jeez, even in your HDD Form, you still have your tsun-tsun persona." Neptune sighed.

* * *

_\- ?_

"Uh..." The lilac-haired girl slowly opened her eyes. "Where am I...?"

Nepgear found herself waking up inside an empty, dull room. The walls, ceiling, and pavement were all made of concrete, and everything was left undecorated; no colors, paintings, or plants, just a gray room.

She sat up from her simple bed, and started glancing around. Fortunately, she saw all of her friends in the room, still sleeping in their separate beds. Nepgear sighed in relief, but she still had no idea where they were. If they were finally caught by that CPU…the thought of such a possibility sent a shiver up her spine.

"Guess you wake up early, huh?" An unfamiliar voice called out to her, which took her by surprise.

A teen girl was leaning on the doorframe. She had short, gray hair, and was wearing a set of armor. Although her armor made her look like a typical space ranger in kids' show, her costume still stood out, since she wore a medallion on her chest, and had a futuristic-looking pistol strapped onto her belt.

She was currently staring blankly at Nepgear, unable to comprehend her fearful expression.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"D-Did you capture us?!" Nepgear immediately jumped up from the bed, overwhelmed by anxiety and panic. "Please! What we did is wrong and-!"

"Woah, calm down!" The girl waved at her. "I'm not working for the CPU. We are a simple rebel group."

"H-Huh?" Nepgear frowned. "_We?_"

"I and my team saved you and your friends back there, when Lady C-Grass went on a rampage through the city. Must've been rough for your girls to escape unharmed, especially from the CPU."

"I-I guess so..." She sighed, finally calming down a little. "But what about the warehouse?"

"That one 'crime' you girls committed?" The girl stared at her. "I would have believed that, if one of my teammates didn't see what actually happened, a few nights ago."

"Really? How did it happen?"

"You should probably let your friends hear the whole story, too. Just saying." She simply shrugged. "Still, feeling alright after that _long _chase? You woke up early."

"Hehe, yeah..." Nepgear nervously chuckled, tugging at her skirt. "I never thought we would be saved by someone..."

"We did that, not just because of our beef with the CPU." She clarified, as Nepgear listened carefully, "It's our duty to save the innocents."

"Huh?" Nepgear became even more confused.

"CPUs used to save and protect the people from evil back then. But now, they've become more occupied with their Console Wars, which dragged on for years..." She sighed. "I used to be part of Tari's military, before-"

"T-Tari?!" Nepgear blurted out.

"Uh, yeah?" The girl nodded, looking a little concerned. "Is there something wrong about it...?"

"U-Uh, nothing!" Nepgear frantically shook her head. "N-Nothing at all!"

"Okay then..." The girl gave her a weird look, before she decided to let go of the topic.

"…Used to be part of their military until the war began, and the CPUs became more involved with the war than us. Tari's military slowly withered away, until it became obsolete. I'm pretty sure this goes the same for all armies, since my team came from various nations."

"Oh, that's sad." Nepgear lowered her head. "I'm truly sorry for what happened."

"It's all in the past, now..." She shook her head in disbelief. "Still, I can't believe they'd abandon us, just to prove who would become the sole ruler of Gamindustri."

"How about the people?" Nepgear asked the ranger, her curiosity piqued. "Are they safe without the CPUs?"

"Each nation still has a government and some authorities, though it isn't as effective as the CPUs' protection." She shook her head, again. "That's why we decided to establish this team, to save not just the citizens of a single nation, but people from all over Gamindustri!"

"A team?"

"We're the Space Galactic Rangers." She proudly proclaimed. "We're a vigilante group, consisting of former veteran pilots from various nations. As the Console War goes on, we work in the shadows to save lives, even if the authorities doesn't approve of our actions."

"Space Galactic Rangers?" Nepgear perked up in awe. "And you're a veteran pilot?"

"That's right." She smiled, giving Nepgear a thumbs-up as she introduced herself. "Former major of the now-obsolete Tari Air Force, Maj. Estella."

"Major Estella..." Nepgear repeated the title to herself. "I'm Nepgear!"

"Miss Nepgear." Estella reached her hand out. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Their hands came together in a firm handshake, both of them glad to be in each other's company. Meanwhile, someone else stirred in her bed, and jolted awake.

"Wha...?" It was Uni, who was frantically glancing around. "Where am I...?"

"Uni!" Nepgear exclaimed in relief, as she ran up to her friend, pulling her into a tight hug. "You're okay!"

"W-Well duh!" Uni blushed in embarrassment, as she hesitantly pushed Nepgear away. "I thought she got us, for sure, until someone saved us..."

"And that 'someone' is us, by the way." Estella chimed in, which prompted Uni to immediately got out of her bed, but she was stopped by her friend before she could do anything.

"Don't worry, Uni!" Nepgear consoled her. "She saved us from that CPU!"

"Wait, what?" Uni became more confused. "What's this all about?"

"Let me explain the whole situation you girls went through..." Estella sighed.

.

.

.

"So that's how it happened." Uni nodded in understanding, after hearing the whole story.

The trio was sitting on a small bench, with a table in front of them. Nepgear still had a hand on Uni's back, trying to comfort her after all the troubles they went through. Since the twins had not woken up yet, they had some time to glance around the room, feeling a sense of unease at the dull, oppressive interior.

"What is this place, by the way?" Uni frowned. "It looks like we're in a prison..."

"It's not a prison, though." Estella awkwardly looked away. "We're in our hideout. Just don't have enough time to give our place any…decorations. You can check out other rooms, if you like."

Estella guide the two out of the room as they tour around. Multiple crates and boxes were lying around in a complete mess, cluttering the hallway. They had some real trouble squeezing through the narrow space, until they stumbled into a much more open space inside the hideout.

A massive room lay before them, big enough to fit multiple planes in it. Some kind of a hangar, with metals and wires sticking out of it, was left rusting, while a dozen planes that looked like spacecrafts from a typical kids' show were resting beneath it. Nepgear and Uni's eyes lit up as they walked around the place, awed by their beauty.

Three teenage girls were sitting around a table, next to the planes, engaged in a casual chat, until they noticed the newcomers behind Estella, and stood up to greet the group. Nepgear and Uni noticed that they were all wearing ranger suits similar to Estella's, just with different colors and designs.

"Girls." Estella gestured at her guests. "I want you to meet the other members of our team."

"Ah! The girls we saved, right?" One of them stepped forth. "Name's Galaxa. Former captain of Planeptune's Air Force, before their demise."

Galaxa was a redhead teen, wearing an armored suit that resembled her superior's suit, only that it was decorated with white, blue, and red streaks. Her long hair swung behind her as she introduced herself, with a proud smile on her face.

"And I'm Astro!" Another girl also smiled, reaching a hand out towards them. "Used to be an airman basic in Magnabox's Air Force, until they were eventually decimated in the Console War..."

Astro had cyan hair, with a cheerful, innocent look on her face. Her suit was tinted pink and grey.

"I'm Zappa." The last one greeted them with a simple nod. "Former lieutenant of Tari's Air Force. It's nice meeting you two."

Out of the three girls, the blonde girl in her yellow-ish suit seemed to be the most taciturn one, as she shook the pair's hands.

"It's nice meeting y'all!" The lilac-haired teen smiled. "I'm Nepgear, and here's my friend, Uni!"

"Hi." Uni greeted. "It may sound kinda rude, but...why are you three wearing those funny-looking suits?"

"Heh, it's the iconic uniform of the Space Galactic Rangers, of course!" Galaxa grinned, "Well, these used to be our pilot suits, back in the days. We just coated them with some paintings."

"Yeah, those days..." Estella sighed, "Back then, we were complete strangers, and only view each other as foes. Things really changed after the Console War."

"Sure is, madam." Zappa nodded to her senior. "Both of us had nowhere to go, after the military degraded into nothing. Guess it is fortunate that we stumbled into each other, and come together to form this group."

"So that's how this 'Space Galactic Rangers' came into place?" Nepgear asked curiously.

"That's right!" Astro smiled. "Formed by the greatest veteran pilots of Gamindustri. I-I'm still on the lowest rank, though, and I'll keep working on that..."

"A group of pilots, aiming to save the lives of people from all kinds of threats." Galaxa continued. "Since the CPUs' concern for their people has become non-existent, it's our job to take over their chores, as people's lives became more and more endangered by their wars."

"Wait, how're the twins doing?" Astro asked. "We did save four people back there, right?"

"They're still sleeping." Estella replied. "Must've gotten a good scare, from the constraints on her mecha..."

"Honestly, we don't even know her..." Uni stared at them. "She did tell us her name, but we don't know much, apart from that."

"She's Lady C-Grass, and she's the CPU of Balarch, which you girls had already visited." Estella continued. "And the robot you girls were running from? That's her mecha, ABA-1000."

"Which stands for Armored Ballistic Automaton-1000." Galaxa added. "She may be small, but she ain't kidding around with her big toy."

"Which is why you shouldn't be messing with her..." Zappa sighed. "She's pretty hot-headed, most of the time."

"W-We just didn't know better!" Nepgear protested. "We didn't expect a CPU to be that young!"

"Huh?" Estella frowned. "Is this the first time you hear about her? She's quite well-known in Balarch."

"W-Well, it's our first time visiting this nation, so..." Uni sweatdropped.

"Hmm..." Astro pondered. "Well, there's nothing we can do about that. Since most people around here don't really visit or hear much about this nation, in recent years."

"That's right." The lieutenant agreed. "I'm more concerned with how you girls ended up falling from the sky, and into an old, racky warehouse..."

"It's, uh…hard to explain." Nepgear sighed.

"We've fallen into some sort of hole that led us here."

"A hole?" One of them asked. "A hole in the sky?"

"Y-Yeah, kinda." Nepgear averted her gaze. "Like I said, it sounds really absurd..."

"I can see that."

"So anyway, what are those planes?" Uni asked, as she pointed to the other side of the room.

Ships were neatly parked in a row, on the other side of the hangar, though their design resembled a spacecraft more than anything. Most were coated in the same colors as the teams' pilot suits, built in various styles, and the closest one was shaped like a boomerang.

"Those ships?" Zappa noted. "The vessels we use during mission. I owned that yellow, boomerang-shaped ship."

"And that's my ship." Estella pointed to a pure-white spacecraft.

"Those ships are owned separately by each member..." Nepgear noticed. "Do the rest of you use them for your mission, too?"

"That's right." Estella nodded, "Ships around here were vessels used by our military, in the old days. After the army was gone, we decided to take some of the ships into our hangar."

"Uhh, isn't that…robbery?"

"Not if it's from a disbanded army." Astro shrugged. "I did the same thing."

"Guess it doesn't matter then..." Uni sweatdropped.

"So, we can check them out, right?"

"Of course. In fact, we'd love to give you a tour!" Galaxa nodded joyfully.

Wandering past the hangar and glancing up at the dusty frames of this age-old hideout, they made their way to the ships, guided by Estella and her teammates. They stood in the vessels' shadows, awed by their sheer size. Nepgear's eyes were sparkling as she examined every external part on the ships, captivated by the beauty of these machines.

Though Uni was not as obsessed with the machinery parts as her friend, she did pay close attention to the weapons mounted on each ship. They were almost like a vintage of dated artillery, and she was quite fascinated by their forms, as she had never seen them in action, only on the pages of books.

Four jets were parked around the hangar. One of them was a pure white jet with a robust design. Despite not being as decorated as the rest, its minimalistic appearance almost had an aura of elegance, and Uni noticed a turret mounted below the cockpit.

"Woah..." Nepgear whispered in amazement. "What is that plane?"

"That's my plane. A fighter jet, to be exact." Estella proudly replied. "Has been driving that, since I'm a novice pilot. Even though it's just an ordinary jet, I still see it as my partner."

"Is this one of the most prestigious planes in your military, Estella? I know that turret. It's a prototype model of laser weaponry." Uni asked.

"Huh? Funny that you'd know that." She applauded. "Usually, our newest inventions were kept hidden by our military. It's kinda odd that the information had been leaked so quickly..."

"Hu-uh." Uni slowly nodded, before she decided to go back on topic. "So, anyways...How about that one over there? It has a nice aesthetic to its design."

"You mean my ship?" Astro gleefully chimed in.

It was a fancy ship that resembled a modern fighter jet more than any other ships, coated with gray and pink paint. The vibrant color almost made her ship looked like one of those sleek, high-tech vessels in superhero shows.

"Yeah, got my hands on that when our military fell apart. Back then, I really love this ship during our training, even though I was not permitted to pilot it, as a lower-rank pilot. The moment I heard that our headquarters were closing down..."

"...You stole it away." Nepgear cut her off, with a deadpan expression on her face.

"Well, I mean, you're not wrong! But I just can't leave this beauty behind, in the hangar, and let it rust to pieces..."

"You sure are in love with the ship. But how experienced are you at driving it?" Zappa raised an eyebrow. "Last time I heard, you nearly bumped into someone with your plane..."

"C-Come on!" Astro retorted. "L-Like I said, I'm still working on it!"

"How about those two?" Uni pointed towards the other two vessels. "They look kinda odd, though."

They were sitting next to the corner. One of them had two engines exposed on each side, while the other was the odd, yellow-colored ship with a C-shaped body, which made it look more like a spacecraft than a fighter jet.

"That one is mine, while the yellow one is Zappa's." Galaxa pointed out.

"Zappa's ship looks like a boomerang though..." Nepgear muttered.

"Please don't give me that look..." Zappa sighed. "It is the fastest one around here, you know."

"Fastest?!" Nepgear perked up.

"She's not wrong. Zappa here is an apex predator against anything airborne. No matter how many times her enemies fired at her, she'll always dodge away at the very last second." Estella praised.

"So she's probably the best pilot in your crew, right?"

"Mhm, yeah. But for a lieutenant, it's phenomenal, really."

"I see." Uni nodded. "So you only fight with your planes, then?"

"Not really." Galaxa shook her head. "We can still engage in melee combat, outside of our ships. We are also trained for that, in case of emergency."

"Besides, we have guns." Zappa said as she picked up her pistol, spinning it playfully. "Not like pilots would bring swords and spears to a gunfight."

"Yeah, especially against _that_ group..." Estella groaned.

"Huh?" The pair stared at them. "What group?"

"A-Squad? Never heard of them?" Galaxa asked.

"Uhh, no. We don't really know that name." Nepgear frowned.

"We do fight against criminals, but the A-Squad were the toughest one we've ever faced." Astro sighed. "They are among the baddest, most cryptic criminal masterminds in the underworld society."

"Usually, the most prestigious criminal groups often hire a lot of members, but they are the exception. In fact, I truly admire them, even though they are villains..." Estella continued.

"A-Squad only consists of 5 members, yet they have managed to successfully pull off some of the most daring heists that are very risky and dangerous, even for larger groups."

"And have you managed to stop them?" Uni asked, intrigued by their story.

"Obviously not." Zappa shook her head. "We have been chasing after them for years. They are almost like our archnemesis. Most of the time, they simply sneak away under the radar, as they are too fast for us to chase down."

"That must really suck..." Uni frowned.

"We'd love to help you out, but right now, we have something more urgent that we need to take care of." Nepgear followed.

"Understandable." Estella nodded. "If there's something you girls want, just let us know."

"N-No, no! It's fine!" Nepgear sweatdropped, frantically shaking her hands. "Saving us from her is more than enough!"

"Nepgear? Uni?" A familiar voice meekly called from the doorway. "Is anyone here...?"

Looking behind, the girls found the twins, who had wandered into the massive room, and both of them seemed to have no idea where they were. Estella and her teammates were not familiar with the two figures, but the pair quickly ran up to them.

"Ram and Rom!" Both of them exclaimed in joy. "Thank goodness, you're okay!"

"Nepgear and Uni!" The twins also rushed towards them, pulling their friends into a big hug.

"Guess we are really lucky. It could've gone a lot worse..." Uni sighed.

"H-Huh?" Rom perked up. "Who are these people?"

"Yeah, and what's with their weird costumes?" Ram added.

"Aw, come on!" Astro whined, puffing her cheeks. "It can't be that weird! These are cool costumes! Very cool!"

"Calm down, Astro. You are scaring the kids." Galaxa sighed as she patted the ranger on the shoulder.

"Anyway, we're the ones who saved you from the CPU. Consider us your friends." Estella smiled.

"O-Okay..." Rom stuttered, before bowing in gratitude, "And thank you for saving us..."

"Hmph!" Ram pouted. "Wish I could've just fought that bully instead."

"I-I see." Estella chuckled nervously.

"Ram!"

"Oh yeah." Nepgear suddenly realized something. "Now that I think about it, how did we end up in that warehouse?"

"You mean what happened on that night?" Galaxa stepped forward. "I'm the one who saw you girls, before this whole mess."

"What do you mean?" Uni frowned. "Nepgear, is there something I'm missing?"

"Yeah, that night." Nepgear nodded. She didn't even answer Uni's question. "How did it happen?"

"Well, it's a long story, but I'll keep it short." Galaxa shrugged, and started recounting the incident.

* * *

It was the middle of the night, and I was flying my jet above the cities. Which were pretty well-lit, but some parts were pitch black, though, so I kept my altitude a little higher, just in case I bumped into something by accident. Blame Balarch's polluted clouds...

At least I have my GPS on, so even with the low visibility, I could find my directions without much problems. I was soaring through the sky, gazing at all those beautiful, twinkling stars. Just as I was enjoying this fascinating view, something went wrong.

Not an engine malfunction or an attack. Well, it was still bad, but on the bright side, I was okay, and wasn't in danger of crashing. There was suddenly this beeping noise from my jet. So I looked back at my HUD, to check out what it was, and found that my radar system was down. It kept spasming and flickering, and I couldn't read my GPS because of it. Something must have jammed the circuit.

I didn't consider it a big deal, since I was pretty familiar with the turf, and didn't need the radars to find my way. It was more annoying, really, and I had to shut it down. While I was adjusting it, a bright light just appeared out of nowhere, shining right into my face. I panicked, and my jet almost grinded to a halt in mid-air.

I couldn't see a thing because of that blinding light. But as the light faded away, I could see something falling from the air, which honestly surprised me. It was you girls.

I didn't have enough time to catch you, since you were falling too fast, and I only heard you girls crashing into the warehouse. I tried getting closer, but my jet couldn't land in such a narrow block, even if I tried to find an open face. But really, this was Balarch. What was I even expecting?

Guard patrols were pretty heavy at night, and I couldn't hover there for long. I can't risk being discovered, so I just flew away. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you back then. If I did, you wouldn't have been mistaken as a bunch of criminals.

* * *

"You just left us there?!" Uni yelled.

"U-Uni, calm down!" Nepgear struggled to hold her back.

"Like I said! The city was under heavy watch at that time, and I can't risk getting caught!" Galaxa frantically shook her hands, "I-I'm really sorry about that!"

"At least we're okay..." Rom muttered.

"Yeah, but the CPU has probably put the authorities on full alert, by now." Zappa sighed.

* * *

_\- Citadel, Balarch_

Amongst all the buildings in the steampunk-styled city, this particular one was surely the biggest of them all. It was a large spherical building, made entirely of bronze, with gears and wires chaining its shining metallic platings together. Though its interior was not as complex, compared to the plates on its exterior, the residence of the CPU of Balarch was still quite an oddly fascinating and robust structure.

A large mecha landed right in front of its gate. Servants of the Citadel streamed out of the building to approach the bipedal robot, before the hatch of its cockpit opened, revealing a small girl climbing down from her mecha.

"Welcome back, Lady C-Grass." One of the servants bowed in respect.

"Ugh! What a rough day! Can't believe we've lost those idiots..." C-Grass groaned.

"Then may I prepare a cup of tea for you, milady?"

"Sure..." She sighed. "Just leave it in my workshop. I'm gonna work on Abby."

"I understand, milady." her servant bowed again before leaving.

C-Grass made her way through the massive, heavily decorated hallway, accompanied by her automated robot, ABA-1000, or "Abby". Seemingly noticing her frustration about their failed pursuit, her mecha let out a soft, vibrating noise from its motor, in an attempt to cheer her up.

"Heh..." She chuckled. "Well, at least you're not as bad as your eight-barrel guns. Could use a good replacement."

Despite her bossy attitude, there was compassion in her voice, as she led the mecha to the workshop. Arriving inside the room, she started picking up materials and tools from the shelves, while her mecha stood still, patiently waiting for her.

A screwdriver in hand, C-Grass climbed up her mecha, and began to unscrew the nuts and hinges that attached the eight-barrelled gun to its platings.

"Jeez, these guns are rusting." She commented. "Phew, how long has it been since the last time you used it, during the First Console War?"

Her mecha responded with the same sound, which earned a nod from her.

"I see." She put a hand to her chin. "So, anything you want to do, after we caught them?"

The mecha responded with a somewhat joyful hum.

"Oh come on!" She laughed. "You always want to go for a fly outside!"

The mecha kept humming, though its volume was a lot lower this time.

"Eh, fine." C-Grass simply shrugged, as she went back to fixing her mecha's turrets. "After we're done with this whole mess, I'll take you for a fly. Jeez, these guns really need a replacement..."

After she had finally unscrewed the gun and detached it from the mecha, a maid appeared at the door, carrying a tray with a cup of tea on it. The petite CPU was clearly having trouble lifting the huge gun as she carried it towards the stashes of machinery parts, and the maid put the tray down onto the table with a concerned look on her face.

"Grggh...!" C-Grass struggled, as the gun shook in her hands. "Jeez, this thing is heavy!"

"Oh dear, Lady C-Grass!" Her maid quickly ran to her. "M-Maybe I could help you out?"

"No, no, no!" She frantically shook her head. "As a CPU, I'm no fragile weakling who needs help from—Wah?!"

She was suddenly yanked into the air, still holding onto the gun, and her feet could not touch the floor. Glancing up, she realized that her mecha had lifted up the giant gun with its small crane.

"A-Abby?!" She exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Her mecha responded with a soft grunt, before slowly lowering its crane until C-Grass was back on the floor, and could safely let go of the gun. She puffed in irritation, but she still looked a little moved by the compassion of her loyal mecha companion.

"Ugh...Thanks for the help." She groaned. "B-But you could at least warn me next time!"

The mecha's motor vibrated joyfully, as it snuggled up to her like a pet, its cold steel head rubbing against her face.

"H-Hey!" She giggled at the tickling sensation. "C-Cut it out!"

"Well, no person is an island after all, Lady C-Grass." Her maid smiled, "You and ABA-1000 have been pretty close since you've created it. You two are like siblings."

"Hey!" She retorted, embarrassed. "Who gives you permission to talk about my personal relationships?!"

"My apology, then." The maid uttered a hushed apology, before she walked out of the door.

C-Grass shot her an annoyed look, before going back to work on her mecha. She finally settled on a new gun in the machinery piles, and started attaching it back onto the mecha's platings. Sweat was running down her face, as she tightened the last screw with her tool.

"Phew!" She sat down on the ground, exhausted. "Finally! Got those rusty barrels replaced with a better one. I hope its parts were on par with our current technology. Give it a spin, will ya', Abby?"

The mecha turned around, and decided to test out its newly-installed gatling gun on a nearby wall. Its firing rate and reaction time were a lot better, as tons of bullets spewed out from the barrels within a second, which far surpassed the old model.

"Good!" C-Grass smiled. "Now those idiots wouldn't be as lucky, the next time we go after them!"

Pleased with the result of her labor, she picked up the cup of tea from the table, and started drinking, savoring its heavenly aroma. Her tea time was soon interrupted by a knock on the door, from the same maid who had left a while ago.

"Uh, I apologize for disturbing you, milady...but it seems like the investigator back at the warehouse has come for a visit."

"Eh, let him in." She casually said, still sipping her tea.

The maid nodded and left the room, before a man in suit entered from the door, curiously eyeing the fancy tools and machinery parts that lay around the workshop. Distracted by the messy scene, it took some time before he started talking to her.

"I'm sorry if I…disturbed your work." He bowed. "But, about what happened in the marketplace..."

"Oh, that?" C-Grass shot him a glance. "While you and your boys were trying to nail down the suspects, I found them, before they made a run for it."

"U-Uh, is that so, Lady C-Grass..?" The investigator looked a little skeptical. "Then who are these suspects?"

"There are four people. Two are young teens, while the other two are kids. First girl has long lilac hair, the second has black twintails, and the other two are pretty much identical twins."

"Can you provide some more elaborate details about the suspects? There's too broad for us to identify..."

"What am I?! A camera?" She complained. "Ugh! At least Abby has its camera on. Go look at the pictures if my words aren't enough for you..."

"I-I see..." He sweatdropped. "Well, mind mailing us the footage, then?"

"Sure, but I still have some tinkering to do on Abby. So wait for it, will ya?" She glared back at him, before she returned to her work.

Her mecha seemed to agree with her, and made a small nod with its huge head.

"Okay then, take your time, Lady C-Grass."

The man walked out of the door, leaving the two alone inside the room. Looking even more annoyed than before, she sighed as she leaned back onto her mecha. The duties of her job was really taking a toll on her.

"Jeez, being a CPU sure is stressing..." She huffed, continuing to sip her tea. "Hey. If you were a CPU, what would you do, Abby?"

Her mecha seemed confused, unable to comprehend her question, as it responded with a weird, wobbly sound from its motor.

"Of course, who am I kidding..." C-Grass chuckled. "You're just an automated robot I built. Phew, I really miss these days, before the whole Console War fiasco..."

The mecha hummed cheerfully as it started to snuggle her again, as if it understood what she meant.

"H-Hey!" She laughed. "You're really that happy about the good ol' days, aren't you?"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

_Estella_ represents the arcade video game **Space Invaders** _(1978)_

_Galaxa_ represents the game franchise **Galaxian** _(1979-2016)_

_Astro_ represents the arcade video game **Defenders** _(1981)_

_Zappa_ represents the arcade video game **Tempest** _(1981)_

**u/Ryin_Silverfish** \- Proofreading and adjustment of wordings.


	7. A Pipe to a Gunfight

_\- Lowee_

"What were you girls talking about, back there?" Origin asked.

"Nothing." Blanc shook her head. "Just chatting about the weather, until that weird wizard friend of yours dragged us back. She sure likes to eavesdrop on people..."

"It's Sir-Tech." The wizard nonchalantly said. "And I'm not the kind of person who loves to listen to secret conversations. Usually."

The rest of the group were currently heading towards the castle, being guided by Famika. While Blanc was still quietly stewing in her frustration about the wizard's cryptic demeanor, IF broke the silence.

"So, Lady Famika. What brought you to Lady Vert and Lady Blanc?"

"I've met them in the middle of the town. Since they couldn't find their own guide for the tour, I decided to take up that role." She smiled. "Speaking of which, are you supposed to be with them, or are you on a separate tour?"

"It's a separate tour, milady!" Origin nodded. "Sir-Tech and I met them, a while ago. Maybe I should have offered them more guidance around the town..."

"Sounds great." IF replied. "But there's one thing we wish to ask Lady Famika."

"Huh?" The CPU turned to her. "What is it?"

"Well, uh…" The brunette scratched her head. "Do you know a way to Planeptune?"

"Uh, yes...?" Famika tilted her head. "Just head back to the dock, and the sailors would lead you there. Are you planning to leave already?"

"Not at all." Vert shook her head. "We would love to stay here just a little longer. Lowee is really serene and peaceful, with all the snow around."

"I'm happy that you like it!" She smiled. "I was worried that you were going to leave so quickly, you wouldn't even have the chance to..."

"Huh?" Blanc frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm thinking about bringing you girls to my castle, as special guests. We have a lot of fine cuisines that my maids can prepare for you."

"Ah, so that's why you're leading us to your home, Lady Famika?" Compa asked, with a big smile on her face. "We'd love to be your guests!"

"My, I'm very pleased to hear that. A-And I hope it would be enough to cheer you up, Sir-Tech. I'm deeply sorry about what happened to the contest..."

"Don't even mind that..." The wizard mumbled, and turned away to stare at a nearby wall.

"I-I see, then..." Famika let out an awkward chuckle.

Before long, they were back in front of the towering castle gate. As one of the men on the watchtower caught sight of their Goddess, he immediately shouted for his fellow guards.

"Open the gate!" The watchman exclaimed. "The Goddess is back!"

The giant gate slowly swung open, revealing a squadron of samurai on the other side of the gate, standing in a neat formation. When the gate was fully open, an elderly man in decorated armor immediately barked an order to his men, and they all bowed to their Goddess.

"W-What?" The girls stared at them, bewildered.

"Welcome back, Lady Famika." The elderly samurai approached her, and made a deep bow. "We've been waiting for you, since that…unexpected delay."

"I apologize for that..." Famika said to the man, lowering her head.

"There's no need to apologize, Lady Famika." The elderly samurai shook his head. "We've heard the whole story. I say it's great news for us that you've saved the little boy."

"O-Oh, how fortunate, haha..." She quietly chuckled.

"Mhm." He simply nodded, before shifting his gaze to the group behind her, "Who are these girls, Lady Famika?"

"My special guests, of course." She smiled. "As I tell my maids to prepare the cuisines for our lovely guests, would you kindly take my place as their guide, and give them a pleasant tour around the garden?"

"Well, I may not be a trained tour guide, but it's an honor." The man grinned.

"How lovely of you." Famika cooed, before she turned back to the group, "Well then, I'll be preparing a little surprise for you, so he'll be your guide for now."

"Yes indeed. Thou art truly a dutiful host, Lady Famika." Origin said in her usual noble voice. "Take thy time, then!"

Famika continued walking and disappeared behind the castle gate, while the elderly general gestured for them to follow him.

"Follow me, ladies." He said. "The garden of the CPU is a magnificent sight, perhaps even more gorgeous than the Fusajiro square."

* * *

_\- Garden_

Pink, blossoming flowers, along with clean, soft grasses, swayed gently to the rhythm of the wind. Petals rained down from the sakura trees, covering the ground in a carpet of white and pink. There was a small river nearby, and a school of koi fish was swimming through the crystal clear water.

"Wow..." Compa's eyes lit up with amazement. "It looks so beautiful."

"Indeed." The elderly man nodded. "This garden has been constructed in the old days. Our ancestral CPU used to live here, and she loves strolling around this peaceful garden. Nowadays, Lady Famika continues to preserve the garden in its past state, as best as she could manage."

"My, what an interesting story." Vert smiled before something caught her eyes.

"Huh?" Blanc saw her staring, and patted her on the shoulder. "Hey Vert, are you okay or what?"

"He looks so adorable..."

"Wait, he?" The rest of the group asked, before they too saw the figure that Vert was looking at.

A young boy with short brown hair sat below one of the trees, holding a small handheld device in his palm. He wore a plain T-shirt and shorts, and his round, child-like face made it evident that he was in his pre-teens. He was completely absorbed in the device, until he noticed the girls.

"H-Huh?" He mumbled, looking quite spooked by the large group that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Why, hello there, little boy~!" Vert grinned, as she approached the young child, who immediately took a step back at the sight of her. "Who are you?"

"U-Uh, g-go away!" He stuttered, trying to hide himself behind the tree.

"Uh, Lady Vert?" IF sweatdropped. "You're scaring the little kid."

"Oh come on, don't be shy~!" Vert reached out to him, her arms extended like the wings of a bird of prey. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"N-No!" He yelled, and made a mad dash for the nearest building.

His escape was cut short when he immediately got caught in Vert's arms, and pulled into a crushing hug. He was struggling and flailing wildly, but it was of no use.

"My, you are such a cute little one, even for a boy~!" Vert snuggled up to her little prey.

"L-Let me go!"

"Huh?" A familiar voice came from behind.

It was Famika, holding an empty bowl in her hands. For a few seconds, she just stared at the ongoing shenanigans between them, with a dazed look on her face, until the boy finally broke free from Vert's arms and ran to Famika. Hiding behind her, he grasped onto her dress tightly as he peeked out at the girls.

"Mhhh..." He made a soft noise.

"My, my." Vert chuckled. "Don't be afraid. I'm just a friend~!"

"No!" He whined, as he withdrew further behind Famika.

"Oh dear..." Famika sighed. "You shouldn't be too hard on him. He's really shy in front of strangers."

"He looks cute though." Compa smiled, as she waved at the boy. "Who is he?"

"He's my little brother, of course!" Famika had a proud grin on her face, as she pushed the boy forward. "His name is Yokoi."

"Uwah!" He squealed, as her sister pulled him towards the crowd. "B-Big sis!"

"Come on, my little Yokoi~!" Famika patted him on the back. "Don't you think it's a little bit rude to run away from your guests instead of greeting them?"

"U-Uh..." He stuttered, before he took a deep breath, and briefly made eye contact with them. "H-Hi..."

"Hi there, Yokoi." IF greeted back.

"Praise to His Imperial Majesty!" Origin enthusiastically stepped forth. "It is such an honor to meet thee!"

"Uhh..." He did not seem to know how to respond.

"She means 'Hello'." Sir-Tech clarified, before she shot a glance at her noble companion. "I told you not to be so overdramatic."

"How's talking like a true knight 'overdramatic'?! It's basic courtesy!" She retorted.

"W-Wait!" Blanc realized something. "If he's your younger sibling, then is he...?"

"That's right." Famika nodded. "He's the CPU Candidate of Lowee."

"He's a CPU Candidate?!" Most of the girls yelled.

"Not a surprise." Origin shrugged. "There has already been fables and tales about the existence of a male CPU Candidate in Lowee. I'm truly happy to meet the fable in person!"

"It's no fable. It's common knowledge." The wizard sighed. "Seriously, can't you just be normal for once?"

"Hey!" She complained. "Art thou calling me a mad woman?!"

"Now now, girls!" Famika stepped in between them. "It won't help if you start quarrelling in front of him. He might get scared..."

"A thousand apologies, Lady Famika!" Origin blushed and immediately bowed to her. "It's never our intention to scare His Majesty!"

"Big sis?" The boy murmured. "Can you let me go already?"

"Sure, my little brother."

Famika released her grip on her brother, and Yokoi immediately dashed into the castle, like a scared fawn. The girls were left staring at the castle door, and they did not quite notice the concerned look on Famika and the elderly samurai's face.

"He really doesn't like meeting strangers, does he?" The man whispered.

"Oh please, don't say something like that in front of him..." Famika closed her eyes. "He's just a little shy, that's all."

"I don't mean it as an insult, milady. I just feel a little sad about the boy, that's all."

"Is he usually like this, Lady Famika?" Blanc turned back to her.

"No. Something really...changed him, back then."

"Huh?" Blanc frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Anyway, the cuisine should be ready by now." Famika deliberately ignored her question. "Thank you for guiding the guests."

"It's an honor to serve you, Lady Famika." The elderly samurai nodded in respect, then started walking towards the main gate. "I shall return to my post."

"So, shall I lead you girls into the castle?" Famika asked.

"It's your call, lady Famika." IF gave her a small nod.

"Of course!" Vert replied, with a huge grin on her face.

"Absolutely, milady!" Origin also agreed.

"Wonderful!" Famika clapped her hands. "Now, please follow me."

Gesturing for the girls to come closer, Famika led the girls up the steps, and they made their way into the castle proper. As they walked through the maze of corridors, Blanc was trailing far behind the group, with a scowl on her face.

"What the hell was that all about...?"

* * *

_\- Tari_

The newly recruited duo glanced up at the factories that towered over them. Everything was built in bulky metal, with an almost futuristic aesthetic, and they could not help but let out a small "wow" as they made their way through the industrial city, guided by Duchess.

"Ah, the lovely city of Tari," She grinned, as she stretched out her arms in a huge yawn, "where power and wealth is of the utmost importance."

"What do you mean?" Linda asked.

"I'm saying that Tari is filthy rich, more than any other nations around Gamindustri." She shrugged. "We could do whatever we want against those shabby establishments, whenever we feel like it. But nah, they just don't appeal to our taste, y'know?"

"Then what's the purpose of your crimes, chu?" Warechu gave her a funny look.

"Great fame!" Duchess perked up, as she clenched her fists and raised her arms high into the air. "Money ain't worth a damn thing to our team. We are doing this for reputation! To establish ourselves as the biggest, baddest baddies on the streets!"

"I have no idea what that means. You are more nuts than I thought." The delinquent flatly replied.

"Oh come on~! It totally makes sense. Newbies like you just can't understand my wise words about the criminal underworld."

"Hey, we aren't newbies!" Linda retorted.

"Then what is it? Underlings?" Duchess teased.

"Whatever! Get to the point already!"

"Fine, then." Duchess scoffed, before she turned towards a soda machine. "Just let me grab a drink first."

Duchess tried to fish a coin out of her pockets, but all she found was crumpled receipts and dust. Sighing, she looked back at Linda.

"Hey, got a penny?"

"A penny? Nah." Linda smirked. "Watch."

Linda smashed her iron bar into the soda machine, shattering the glass and causing the entire stack of soda cans to flood onto the floor. This did catch Duchess off-guard, but soon, she started hollering like mad.

"Ha! Not gonna lie, I haven't seen anything this crazy in a good while. Guess my decision to hire you two is a great choice!"

"You think?" The delinquent smirked, as she picked up a can of soda and tossed it into Duchess's hands. "Here's your drink."

While the trio were gulping down their sweet drinks, a police vehicle suddenly grinded to a halt beside them, and multiple officers emerged from the car, their pistols out and aiming at the trio. There was a strange crest on the car door—must be Tari's flag or something.

"Hold it right there!" A female officer demanded. "You've committed vandalism against the city property. Surrender, in the name of the law! Especially you, Duchess!"

"Huh? They know you?" Linda asked.

"Like I said…" Duchess shrugged. "I'm pretty infamous around here, hehe."

"Put your hands up in the air, now!" The officer continued to shout at them.

"Well, guess I have to-"

"Just let me do the beating instead." Linda assured her, as she took a step forth. "If they're gonna be messing with me, then I'll show them who's the real boss!"

"L-Linda?!" Warechu yelled.

"You sure about that?" Duchess raised an eyebrow. "You are bringing an iron bar to a gunfight. Literally. What are you going to do? Play baseball with bullets?"

"Just watch, you idiot." Linda groaned.

Picking up a few cans of soda and tossing them into her pockets, Linda sprinted her way past the officers. Before the officers could take a shot, the delinquent hurled one of the cans into the air, and struck it with her iron bar, sending it flying straight into an officer's face. The man went down with a pained yelp.

Now they started firing back, and the street descended into pure chaos. People were running away in fright, and even the duo was forced to take cover as more officers opened fire. Linda, however, was having the time of her life as she narrowly dodged bullets after bullets, and pounded her foes into the ground with her sturdy iron bar. A slam to the chest. A bash to the skull. The mayhem! The euphoria!

"Damn, that's some good ass-kicking she's dishing out." Duchess applauded. "Is that what your partner does, every day?"

"Yeah, that's how she's like, chu..." Warechu wiped the sweat from his face.

Meanwhile, a few more bullets whizzed past Linda, as the more lightly armed officers struggled to block her swift blows. One of them attempted to bash her down with his baton, only to meet an iron pipe to the face.

"Want a piece of this?" She boasted. "Then come and get it!"

The female officer struggled to get up, as her companions fell one by one against the merciless beatings of the aggressive delinquent. She stumbled into her car, dialed up her radio, and started shouting.

"This is officer Koban! Our men are down, and we need back-!"

"-Up?" The car window exploded in a shower of glass shards, before Linda stabbed her iron bar through the opening, and pried open the door, with a wicked grin on her face.

"Guess we need to have one last talk."

"U-Uwah..." She shivered in fear, and the radio fell out of her hands.

The vehicle was rocking back and forth, as the delinquent started her "talk" with the officer. Her two associates were watching from afar, and the rat felt a chill running up his spine as he heard the loud screams.

"I never thought Linda could be a sadist, chu..."

"Hey, I'm not judging. But I feel kinda bad for the officer gal." Duchess frowned.

Linda finally emerged from behind the vehicle, and swaggered back to her gang. The street was completely wrecked, littered with the bodies of unconscious officers, and bullet holes on the nearby walls.

"So, how is it?" She smirked.

"That's how you play baseball? You're one wild girl."

"Knock it off..." Linda scowled as she put the pipe onto her back. "Man, did I want to give you a good one, back in the woods! Exactly like this one here!"

"Woah, we've only just met. Can't we have a few dates first, before you decide to get all hot n' steamy?" Duchess teased.

"W-What?!" Linda looked like she was going to explode from embarrassment. "S-Shut up!"

"Okay, fine, I'm just kidding." She shook her hand, as she glanced at the piles of unconscious officers on the ground. "Jeez. You really love beating people to a pulp, don't ya'."

"Hey, I tried to beat you up, too. You should've expected that." Linda retorted.

"Good point." Duchess chuckled. "Well then, their back-ups are coming. Unless you want another round, let's bail—and pick up some of those soda cans for my team, will ya'?"

"Your team, chu?" Warechu asked. "Who are they?"

"You'll see them soon. Be patient." She winked. "Now then, chop chop! It's time for the get-go!"

After dumping a bundle of soda cans into a spare duffle bag that Linda stole from the trunk of the police vehicle, Linda and Warechu glanced around one last time, then took off after Duchess, heading towards their unknown destination as sirens screamed in the distance.

* * *

_\- ?, Tari_

Arrived in front of an old, dilapidated warehouse, Linda and Warechu hesitated a little as their guide gestured for them to go inside. They seemed to be on an abandoned street—not a single living soul was in sight, nor was there any vehicles. Poles and signposts were left rusting in the air, and the asphalt on the road was cracking apart, with grasses growing out of it.

It was quiet. Too quiet for the duo. Duchess, however, remained unfazed.

"Where are you taking us?" Linda had a deadpan expression on her face.

"There's something wrong around here, chu..." Warechu shot her an uneasy glance. "It's so quiet. I feel like we're being watched..."

"Haha, no worry, pals." Duchess assured them. "That's just how us baddest criminals work—in the shadows and out of sight!"

The gate creaked open with a loud groan, revealing the inside of the warehouse. It was completely empty, with only sunlight shining through the cracked windows. The metallic frames above them was coated in a deep, bloody red, as if they had been left to rust for several decades.

"Why do you bring us to this empty warehouse?" Linda glared at her. "And where's your team?"

"Where?" Duchess smiled, then spoke into her radio. "Hey, give us a lift, will ya?"

A loud crank suddenly came from beneath them, as the floor they were standing on began to slowly descend into the earth.

"W-What the hell?!" Linda exclaimed. _This entire floor was an elevator all along._

"Hey, just get ready for the ride." Duchess smirked. "You'll meet them soon enough."

The platform made its way down into the dark abyss beneath. Fluorescent lights attached to the metallic shafts offered a few intervals of brightness as they moved past them.

They could hear the constant clanking of gears and pulleys, as they went deeper and deeper down, and the walls were replaced by rough, uncut rocks. The base must be very isolated from the surface.

The elevator slowed down, and finally grinded to a halt as it reached the very bottom. The trio stepped out of the lift, and onto the dusty rock ground. Lying in front of them was some kind of cavern, barely lit by fluorescent light bulbs dangling down from the ceiling. Linda and Warechu was rendered speechless by the sheer size of this underground hideout.

"Welcome to the bat cave!" Duchess extended her arms in a dramatic gesture of welcome. "It's not the most pretty hideout we've built, buh eh…good enough."

"This place is huge..." Linda said, as she glanced around. "Why the hell do you need a hideout this big?"

"Cause' we like to go about our business without people banging on our doors. Considering how deep we are right now, these officers won't be finding my team any time soon."

"Yeah, no kidding." Linda shrugged. "Anyway, the team?"

"Ah yes!" Duchess nodded. "Now, follow me to the meeting room."

The cavern was huge enough to fit an entire passenger plane inside. Stalagmites jutted out from the walls, and many stalactites were hanging above them. Linda and Warechu noticed metal wires all over the place—must have been put there by her team. After a long walk, they finally saw a large green tent in the distance, with a bright light coming out of its interior.

"That's the meeting place." Duchess smiled. "Let's hurry up and meet my crews! They really don't like waiting around."

* * *

_\- Tent_

"How long will it take her to get her ass back here?!"

A girl with gray skin shouted as she paced around the tent, violently shaking her head. Hearing her heavily accented voice, a white-haired girl briefly glanced up, before she went back to gently caressing her shotgun, sliding her delicate fingers along its cold steel barrel with a smile on her face. The other girl did not even look up from the electrical gadgets she was tinkering around with her set of tools.

"It's only been 10 minutes. Are you really that low on patience? Come on." The blonde tinkerer rolled her eyes, and continued to toy with her little gadget.

"Easy for you to say. Duchess doesn't even explain what ze hell is going on!" The green-haired girl slammed her fists onto the table. "I still have no idea why she likes zat girl so much!"

"Huh, the girl with your hair color?" One of them raised her eyebrows. "From what I've heard, she's a good fighter. Knocked out a bunch of cops, with only an iron pipe."

"Are you really sure about zat?" She glared at the speaker.

"Pretty much." The brunette sighed. "Heard that from the radio. Thanks for the adjustment, Gordea."

"It was nothing, hehe..." The blonde tinkerer—Gordea—chuckled.

"But still, that's not the same as fighting through a truckload of monsters in a maze..." She sighed.

"Ja, would've been a breeze, with your experience." The green-haired girl said.

"Or worst, demons." The white-haired girl scoffed, as she adjusted her nun cowl.

"Seriously, what's with your strong hatred of demons?" The brunette asked. "That's all you ever talk about..."

"None of your business." The nun gave her an icy look.

"Considering you've been using your cut entirely for your 'faith', or whatever that is..."

"Knock it off, Ranger..." The green-haired girl shushed her. "You know ze motto."

"The free will of individuals always comes first in the A-Squad." The brunette—Ranger—recited the sentence almost on reflex, before letting out a deep sigh. "Gonna be honest with you, it's not the most catchy motto. But whatever."

The tent fell silent for a while, before the entrance opened, revealing their fellow team member, who swaggered her way to the table.

"It's about damn time, Duchess..." The green-haired girl growled.

"Hey calm, down! Feldmarschall Erich! You've been boiling with rage recently." Duchess teased, patting her companion on her back.

"Just call me Erich!" The girl smacked her hand away. "Mein title isn't zat relevant nowadays..."

"Fine." She sighed, "But really, that title of yours makes you sound like a total badass!"

"Enough with ze blabbering!" Erich cut her off. "What took you so long?!"

"Ah, about that..." She grinned. "Come on in, fellas!"

Two figures revealed themselves in front of the team. One of them bore an uncanny resemblance to Erich—the only thing different was their clothes—and the other was a rat-like monster.

"Ze hell are these punks." Erich stare at the duo in disgust.

"Hey!" Linda yelled back. "Who are you calling a punk?!"

"Oh really?" Erich smirked at her. "You have a problem with zat, punk?"

Linda lunged towards Erich, her iron bar out, but before they could exchange blows and turn this meeting into a full-on brawl, the others stepped in. Duchess and Warechu dragged Linda away from her, still huffing and puffing, while the other two girls held Erich down.

"Let me go!" Linda struggled against their restraint. "I'm gonna teach that wannabe a lesson!"

"L-Linda!" Warechu yelled, trying his best to hold onto her arm. "C-Calm down!"

"Jeez! You two surely act like twins!" Duchess commented.

"Get off me! Zat punk doesn't know who she's messing with!" Erich spat as she was pinned to the ground.

"How very typical of you..." The nun sighed, and tightened her grip.

"H-Hey! D-Don't just sit there! Come and help us!" Ranger stuttered as she called out to Gordea, who was still sitting at the table, absorbed in her tinkering.

* * *

Tension was high after the team sat down in their chairs, for Linda and Erich were still glaring daggers at each other from the opposite end of the table. Ranger and Gordea, who were sitting right next to Erich, exchanged an uneasy glance.

"So..." Duchess broke the awkward silence. "How's life, Erich?"

"Rough." She squeezed the word out between clenched teeth.

"Yeah, rough it is..."

"Are you gonna start the meeting or what?" Linda questioned the rowdy girl, who nodded at her, before she turned back to continue her staring contest with Erich.

"Well duh!" Duchess stood up, clearing up her throat before starting to speak. "Ladies, I want to introduce you to the finest recruits I've found around Gamindustri. They may be young, but trust me, they can still put up a good fight!"

"Yeah, we've heard that." Ranger replied.

"Oh c'mon, gals? Can't you be a little more excited 'bout that?" Duchess whined. "Anyway, that Erich-lookalike gal is Linda, and the rat is Warechu."

"Hello, chu." Warechu greeted the group.

"Sup." Linda scoffed.

"Why does she look exactly like Erich...?" Gordea squinted at their faces. "You two can pass for identical twins...Are you a fan, cosplaying as her?"

"Hey!" Linda cut her off. "I ain't got nothing to do with that freak! We just happen to look like each other!"

"Now that I think about it, she even acts like Erich." Ranger continued.

"Grr..."The delinquent growled. "Wanna test that with my pipe?"

"Heh, I wanna see you try zat on my dead skin, with your puny little toy." Erich smirked vilely as she leaned back in her seat.

"Fine! I'll accept your challenge!" Linda bolted up from her seat again, but Warechu grabbed her and held her back before she could start a fight again.

"Linda!" Warechu squealed. "Stop making the situation worse, chu."

"The little pal's right." Duchess winked at her, before putting a hand to her back. "I'll give you a glass of cold water, if you need to chill."

"Ugh, fine." She sighed.

"Good!" Duchess smiled before she called off her tinkering companion, "Hey Gordea, fetch us a glass of water, will ya?"

"Sure." The tinkerer nodded, before she left the tent.

"Oh yeah, the team!" Duchess put a hand to her forehead, as she realized that she had not introduced her companions yet.

"I want you to meet my pals for the heist. The brunette over there is named Ranger, that nun is Flynn, the girl who just left is Gordea, and that one girl who looks really like you is Erich."

Ranger was a brunette girl with an athletic body, even more muscular than Duchess. She was in light, thin clothes, colored in brown and white, with only small armor pieces strapped onto her limbs.

Flynn was unnaturally pale, and her dark nun outfit made her look even more unsettling. Her long white hair covered one of her eyes, her face an emotionless mask. If she was not gently sliding her fingers up and down on the steel barrel of her shotgun, with an odd fervency in her eyes, the pair could have mistaken her for a statue.

"One glass of water, coming right up!" The tinkerer, Gordea, came back with a glass of water, and set it down on the table.

Gordea's blonde hair had a tint of orange. She wore light clothes, just like Ranger—except she had a lot of belts strapped around her waist, and her chestnut-colored gloves and boots were coated in oil and metal dust. She was a lot more energetic and upbeat, compared to the rest of the gang.

And the person whom Linda was glaring daggers at, Feldmarschall Erich, had the exact same green hair, grey skin and cocky smile as the delinquent girl. She was much more scantily dressed, however. Her upper body was almost entirely nude underneath her grey overcoat, with only her breasts covered up by strips of bandage wrap, accompanied by long pants and combat boots. She wore an armband with unusual symbol on it.

Though both of them were nearly identical in terms of appearance and demeanor, she did not seem to favor the same kind of weapon, and had a large gun strapped behind her back instead.

"Heya'." Ranger waved her hand at the pairs.

"So, how did you met Duchess? Isn't she great?" Gordea smiled.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe a lil' too _pushy_?" Linda's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Pushy?"

"Heh, well, kinda..." Duchess scratched her head. "I might have been a little too eager to persuade them to join us. She just has so much potential, you know?"

"Which part of me screams 'potential' to you?" Linda rolled her eyes. "Oh, I know, is it the potential of running away like a pathetic loser?"

"No, not like that." Duchess pointed at her. "Something more than that, I tell ya. A girl who ain't afraid to fight against the whole world on her own, kicking their butts, landing a straight shot to the bull's eye."

"What the hell are you talking about?" The delinquent scrowled.

"She's saying that you're an expert fighter." Flynn's soft voice came out of nowhere, which was quite a surprise to the pair.

"The hell? If you need another fighter, why did you tell me you want a runner back there?!"

"Change of plan, I guess." Duchess shrugged. "I planned on hiring you as a runner, until I saw what you did to the cops. Maybe we can have both?"

"At least it's better than being a pathetic runner..." She sighed. "Anyway, what's the plan?"

"Ze plan of our heist, you say?" Erich turned to Duchess. "Give me one reason to trust these two punks, Duchess. One reason why they're more than some useless wastes of skin."

"Well, we can sell illegal game copies without—" Warechu boasted.

"Booooring!" Erich cut him off, which earned a displeased growl from Linda.

"Tch...you're one hell of a freak, you know?" Linda retorted.

"C'mon Erich, we're pals, aren't we?" Duchess assured her. "We've formed this great team back in the old days, together."

"And you've been slacking off lately, a stain to ze very reputation of our group. What ze hell are you trying to do here?"

"Since all of us have the same authority within the squad, let's vote, then. I say we let them in."

"Pshh, yeah, sure." Linda scoffed. "Like I'd ever trust some wannabe knockoff clones of myself..."

"L-Linda?!" Warechu squealed.

"Bah! This is why I don't trust those punks!" Erich stood up from her chair, ready to charge towards the delinquent, but she was pulled back to her seat by Duchess.

"C'mon, Erich?" Duchess, still holding onto her arms, asked in an almost begging tone. "It's a rough start, but I know things would get better afterwards. So, what do ya' say, old friend?"

"Tch...Hey you three! What do you think?"

"I think we should give them a chance." Ranger shrugged. "I know, I know, you two don't get along, but hey. It could work out in the end."

"Nein!" Erich slammed her fists onto the table, clearly displeased by her response. "How about you, Gordea and Flynn?!"

"Pretty much the same, to be honest." The tinkerer nodded. "We never have a runner on our squad. Someone who can both fight and run? That will give us an edge over our opponents."

"I'll love to, indeed." Flynn said, in her soft and tranquil voice.

"What?! You met them five minutes ago, and don't even bother to look at them! Now you are okay with these two joining our group?!"

"No." The nun shook her head. "But there's something more important."

"And ze hell is zat?"

"Him." She uttered a single word, and pointed her finger at Linda's rat companion.

"H-Huh? Me?" Warechu opened his mouth in disbelief.

"Yes, you." The nun shot him a vicious glare, as she slowly raised her shotgun and aimed it at the rat. "I always have the tendency to kill demons for my own pleasure, regardless of how eager they are to tear out my cold, dead heart."

"W-Wait..." Linda came to a sudden realization. "It's not what you—!"

"Seeing that you're just a weakling demon, maybe a newborn baby. I'll let you live a little longer. But don't ever let your guard down while I'm around."

The nun cocked her shotgun, as she stared at the trembling rat with her single uncovered eye, which was glimmering with the frigid bloodlust of a true predator.

There was nothing but awkward silence, as the whole gang looked at the bloodthirsty nun, with her shotgun still out and ready. Warechu was a trembling furball cowering behind Linda's back, who instinctively stepped forth to shield him, and beads of sweat could be seen on the other girls' forehead. Fortunately, Duchess hurried up to Flynn's side, and gently pushed the shotgun barrel down.

"Relaaax..." Duchess chuckled nervously. "Let just say…her companion happens to look like a demon, but is only a regular rat."

"Mein gott..." Even Erich looked a little intimidated. "I know you have this weird obsession with demons, but jeez. Chill out."

"Hmph, fine." Flynn scoffed, as she lowered her shotgun back onto her lap. "If my party doesn't agree, then I'd have to refrain from torturing the little demon to death."

"T-Torture, chu?!" Warechu let out a frightened squeak.

"Let's stop talking about demons, and get back to business!" Duchess cut in. "So, the majority of the team have no problems with our new recruits. Any second thoughts?"

Erich only let out a low growl, as she kept glaring towards the delinquent, before she finally sighed in defeat, and responded with a small nod.

"Fine! But they better not stay in the team for long!"

"Oh look, it's your lucky day!" Duchess teased. "They won't be in the team forever! We just made a dandy deal, which means their employment would be temporary. The moment they get the cut, we'll part ways."

"Good. Can't wait to work with those punks..."

"So, you gonna talk about the heist or what?" Linda was tapping the table impatiently. "I'm not exactly having a good time, right now."

"Shut ze hell up!" Erich yelled back, before she regained her composure. "So, yeah, about ze heist..."

"Our target is the central bank at ze heart of Tari. Billions of credits are stored inside its vaults, and even ze CPU herself has an account there. Really tight security, cameras, guards, constant surveillance by Tari's police forces...you get ze idea."

"But what about the CPU, chu?" Warechu asked.

"Off fighting somewhere. Which is a good thing." There was a vicious smirk on Erich's face as she continued her talk.

"Since ze Console War has started, we've pretty much monopolized ze business of raids and robberies throughout Gamindustri, thanks to ze CPUs—they only focus on their petty power struggles nowadays, eh?"

"Got that right." Duchess smiled. "Still, these guards are like, everywhere. And I forgot to mention that these peeps have their own custom defense system inside the bank, to stop us from taking their goodies."

"Ja, at least we have Gordea on our side. She'll deal with ze system, while Ranger will be ze muscle crew."

"What about her?" Linda pointed her finger towards the nun.

"I'll be on the lookout." She mumbled in a gloomy tone. "The bank has several floors, and I'm keeping an eye on things, just in case we need to bail."

"I and Erich will be taking off with all those hefty credits, while the guards are occupied." Duchess suddenly patted herself on the forehead. "I may have forgotten to prepare the disguises for this heist, though..."

"You what?!" Erich yelled.

"C-Calm down, my old friend! I've just been so hyped that some details slipped my mind, y'know? It could be the greatest moment of our lives that will forever go down in history!"

"Damn it, Duchess..." Erich sighed. "Well, thanks to your forgetfulness, at least our new recruits have something to do now. I'll have Flynn get the disguises ready."

The nun looked a little annoyed, as she stopped caressing her shotgun, and gave Erich a frigid look, which did not faze her at all.

"Oh come on, Flynn!" She threw her hands up in the air. "You've been slacking off since we started planning for this heist! At least do it like it's your household chores or something!"

"Fine." She murmured. "I'll start working."

"Good, now excuse me for a moment, while I go prep up my boomsticks." Ranger walked out of the tent.

"And I'm going to work on the devices we need for the heist, so see ya!" Gordea trailed behind her, and disappeared into the cavern.

"So… where the hell are we supposed to go right now?" Linda asked.

"Simple, follow your senior crewmate." Duchess said. "We have an armory at the back, that's where you'll get some better gears. Can't bust through the whole security with a plain pipe."

"I'll rather have my pipe with me, but I can appreciate a little sidearm." Linda smiled.

"Also, while you are in there, don't you dare touch my Maschinengewehr 42." Erich snarked. "I don't want zat beauty, ze land's greatest feat of engineering, to be dirtied by your grubby hands."

"...What?" Linda stared at her.

"Don't touch her gun." Duchess clarified. "I'll let you know which gun is hers, when we get in there."

Guiding the delinquent and the rat out of the tent, Duchess soon disappeared into the shadows. Erich was the only person left inside the tent. She grabbed a cigarette from her pocket, and ignited it with her lighter as she leaned back in her chair.

"Phew..." She inhaled, then blew out a cloud of smoke. "What ze hell does she see in these punks...?"

* * *

_\- Lowee (?)_

"Wow!" Compa exclaimed. "It looks so beautiful!"

They were currently in the gorgeous guest room of the castle, full of sparkling, lavishly decorated furniture and fine silk screens. The interior was built in a style similar to what IF and Compa saw in Origin and Sir-Tech's house, only that everything was more luxurious—a grand display of power and wealth.

"I'm glad to hear that!" Famika smiled, then signalled for one of her maids to come forth. "Would you please go prepare some drinks for our guests?"

"Yes, milady." The maid bowed to her before leaving.

Famika guided her guests to the table, and gestured for them to sit on the red seat cushions. They were soft, nicely decorated, and very comfortable to sit on. Vert seemed especially enamored by their fine quality.

"My my." She smiled. "Where do these lovely cushions come from? I would really like to buy some for my home~!"

"They are handcrafted tribunes, woven by my people."

"I see. Your people truly have wonderful talents."

"Yeah, right." Blanc mumbled, still feeling a sense of unease.

While they were chatting, the girls noticed the little boy—Yokoi—peeking out from behind a sliding door panel, with a bashful expression on his face.

"He's back." Origin poked her wizard companion on the shoulder, before joyfully calling out to the boy. "Greetings, Your Majesty! Would you like to have a fine chat with us?"

Her response only caused the boy to withdraw entirely behind the panel. His older sister, upon noticing his presence, quickly ran up to him and gently patted him on the head in a gesture of comfort.

"Oh, dear little brother..." Famika sounded gentle as ever, but there was a hint of disappointment in her voice. "You shouldn't be afraid of our lovely guests. In fact, it would be quite an insult, to hide from them like that."

"B-But!" He whined.

"D-Don't worry about it, Lady Famika!" IF sweatdropped. "It's alright! Your little brother can go off and do his own thing. We are fine with it. Maybe it's a little too much for him, forcing him to come out like that…?"

"I see." Famika sighed in defeat. "Perhaps you're right. My dear brother has just been keeping to himself for so long, not wanting to talk to anyone..."

Famika glanced back to her little brother, who turned away from her, pouting. Letting out a nervous chuckle, she continued to caress him, until he finally calmed down, and hesitantly sat down besides the girls.

"So." Vert stepped in, "Tell us about yourself?"

"I-I, uhh..." Yokoi mumbled in an almost inaudible voice, his gaze still fixated on the floor.

"Well, he likes to play video games." Famika answered the question for him. "He always likes to play on his handheld console, even when we are travelling outside."

"My, is that so?" Vert's eyes lit up. "We do have something in common! If only you were my little brother, we would have so much fun playing video games together!"

"U-Uhh..."

"I see." Famika chuckled.

"It does sound like someone I know..." Blanc facepalmed, with a groan.

"Huh, you mean Neptune?" Vert asked.

"Well, duh! Who else likes video games so much that she'll slack off all day to play them?"

"Neptune?" Famika repeated the name, with a curious expression on her face.

"It's our friend back...home." IF answered. "She's probably coming for a tour, too, so we'll look for her when we get to Planeptune."

"Okay then." Famika nodded.

In the next few minutes, maids streamed into the room, setting down plates and plates of cuisines that Famika prepared for them onto the table. Bowls of ramen and sushi platters were the main course, along with cups of hot, steaming tea that filled the entire room with a fragrant aroma. The girls were fascinated by the dishes, and Vert was the first one to try out the tea, her favorite drink.

"Goodness, this is wonderful!" Vert exclaimed, after she took a small sip. "Its taste and texture is _divine_."

"Thank you, milady!" One of the maids bowed to her. "It is an honor to hear your praise!"

"Mm." Origin agreed, as she too started drinking from her cup. "Truly, it is!"

"The ramen tastes so good." Compa smiled, and picked up more ramen with her chopsticks.

"My maids are not only the greatest servants, but also the greatest cooks." Famika informed them. "They prioritize the quality of their ingredients, and only serve the best dishes for their master and her guests."

"Good to know." Blanc nodded, before digging into her bowl.

"Big sis'?" Yokoi asked. "Can I have some too?"

"Maybe later. Let our guests finish eating first." Famika smiled, patting his head.

While the girls were enjoying their delicious cuisines, someone knocked on the door panel, and called for the CPU. A maid opened the door, revealing an armored samurai. Famika quickly walked out of the room and into the corridor.

Their shadows could be seen on the paper screen—he seemed to be whispering something into her ears, but the girls and Yokoi could not hear their words. Then, she nodded, and dismissed the man, before returning to the room.

"Uh, is there a problem?" Blanc asked.

"No, not at all!" A small, demure smile appeared on Famika's face. "Can I get you girls some water? No?"

"Yeah." IF nodded. "The tea tastes great, though."

With a clap of her hands, her maids hurried away, and returned to the table a moment later, with porcelain cups in their hands. The girls eagerly drank the cool, refreshing water, the flavor of the fine cuisines still lingering on their tongues.

"Ugh..." Famika sighed, with a tired, distant look in her eyes. "You know, the duty of CPU is truly a heavy burden. Especially when you have two issues to deal with, at the same time."

"What do you mean, Lady Famika?" Origin asked.

"One issue is the ongoing Console War, where CPUs fight each other to the death, for the right to rule Gamindustri, and I have to remain here, just to protect Lowee." Famika continued. "And the other issue? Some intruders are now snooping around my land."

"Intruders?" Blanc frowned. "Who are they?"

"Everyone?" Sir-Tech set the cup down on the table, with a thud, and it almost looked like she was struggling to hold back a yawn. "Is it just me, or…doesn't the water taste a little weird...?"

"Oh, I don't know~?" Famika responded with her usual smile, but there was a sinister undertone in her cheerful voice. "Some CPUs who are hiding their true identities from me?"

"What...?" Blanc gasped, before a sudden drowsiness overcame her. "W-Wait...?!"

She collapsed onto the floor before she could finish her sentence, along with the rest of her friends. For a few seconds, they just lay there, stiff and unmoving. Yokoi was shaking as he stared at their limp bodies, with a dazed expression, like he was caught in a strange nightmare.

"B-Big sis?!" He ran up to his sister, and grabbed her by her sleeves. "W-What have you done?!"

"Oh, don't worry, my little brother!" Famika smiled, but there was a solemn grimness in her eyes. "It's just a weak poison, enough to put them to sleep. Of course I won't kill all of them. Most of our guests aren't even CPUs."

"K-Kill them?!"

Her maids started dragging the unconscious guests into the corridor, while the others began to clean up the table. While Famika was giving out instructions to her maids, Yokoi slowly stepped away from her, until his back was pressing against the wall. Unable to comprehend what his sister had just done, he could only stare at her smiling face, and there was nothing but pure terror in his eyes.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

It's been a week as I couldn't have enough time to publish this chapter thanks to the on-going exams. Now since those were now over, I can go back working on the fanfiction.

_Yokoi_ represents the handheld game console as the **Game Boy** _(1983-2003)_, he is named after _Gunpei Yokoi_, the original designer of the same console.

_Feldmarschall Erich_ represents the game franchise as **Wolfenstein** _(1981-2019)_, her name is a shuffled word of _Reich_.

_Ranger_ represents the game franchise as **Quake** _(1996-2017)_

_Flynn_ represents the game franchise as **Doom** _(1993-2016)_, her name is a reference to Doomguy's alias, _Corporal Flynn Taggart_.

_Gordea_ represents the game franchise as **Contra** _(1987-2019), _her name is a reference to Contra (1987)'s boss with the same name.

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreading & Adjustment with the wordings.


	8. On the Lose

"U-Uwah..?"

The first thing IF saw, upon waking up, was the moss-covered ceiling. She was in an isolated room, with only a sliver of sunlight shining through the window. Walls were constructed out of worn stone bricks, stacked on top of each other, and the only light source inside the room was a small, yellow flame above a wrought-iron candlestick.

The coldness of the stone floor sent a shiver up her spine as she propped herself up, and saw the rest of her friends, still lying unconscious on the floor. She quickly ran to Compa, and started shaking her.

"Compa?!" She yelled. "Are you alright?!"

"W-Wah?" Compa slowly opened her eyes. "Iffy, is that you...?"

"Thank goodness, you're okay..." The brunette sighed. "Have we been knocked out by something…?"

"Ugh..." Origin put a hand to her forehead, still lying on the floor. "My head hurts..."

"How about Sir-Tech? Is she alright?" IF asked.

"...Yes." The wizard stood up, and shook the dust out of her clothing. "They must have poisoned us with the water."

"Lady Famika..." Compa frowned. "Why would she do this to us?"

"H-Have I gravely disrespected Her Majesty?" Origin looked quite frightened. "I-I could not let my honor be stained by such scandalous wrongdoings!"

"Calm down, you're overreacting." Sir-Tech groaned. "Can you just get your priorities straight for once, and stop obsessing over your honor? Anyway, IF, where are your other friends?"

"Oh no..." IF's face paled, as she came to a grave realization. "She must've figured it out."

"Figured what out?" Origin asked.

"We need to go save them!"

The brunette looked towards the gate, and found heavy iron bars barring their way out. She grabbed onto them, and started shaking them furiously, though the bars did not move an inch—her raw strength was no match for the tough metal.

"Hey! Let us go!" IF demanded.

"Cut it out!" A bossy voice retorted, before a spearman appeared, and struck the cell door with his spear. "You and your friends are imprisoned for being foreign spies, conspiring against Lowee."

"Foreign spies?!" Origin stared at him. "There must be a misunderstanding!"

"Enough! Lady Famika herself has ordered your arrest, for your association with the two foreign CPUs."

"Foreign CPU? Sir-Tech? What's going on?!"

"IF and Compa's friends are actually CPUs." Sir-Tech replied. "They've been keeping their true identity a secret from Lady Famika."

"Y-You mean those Cycling Patrons?!"

"Silence!" The spearman barked. "Until the Goddess decides to release you, you'll be remaining in this cell, and you won't be leaving anytime soon."

"Just listen to me!" IF shook the bars even harder in her desperation, but the man had already disappeared into the darkness beyond.

"Iffy, calm down." Compa put a hand to her shoulder. "Don't tire yourself out..."

"Y-You are right. Maybe we should wait for an opportunity?" Origin suggested. "They did take our weapons, while we were unconscious."

"Sir-Tech! You can cast one of your magic spells to break us out, right?"

"Unfortunately, no." The wizard shook her head. "Without my spell tome, I'm but a powerless human. I'm sorry."

IF let go of the iron bars, and dropped to the ground on her knees. There was no hope for escape. They were empty-handed, with neither weapons nor tools to aid them, and all they could do was sit and wait. Compa stepped forth to comfort her, and behind them, the pair shot them a sympathetic glance.

"Lady Vert and Lady Blanc..."

"It's okay, Iffy..." Compa caressed her companion's hair. "I'm also worried about them."

"How could a Goddess use such a...dishonorable tactic on her guests?" Origin mumbled.

"You know how the Console War is, right now. If you're associated with a CPU, you'll be liable for all their doings." Sir-Tech answered, with a solemn look in her eyes.

* * *

Blanc was the first to wake up, and found herself lying inside a dark dungeon room, illuminated only by the weak glow of several candles. She glanced around the dull, empty space, frowned at the sight of the barred gate, and finally found Vert, sprawled out in a nearby corner.

"Hey!" She gave her companion a forceful shove. "Wake up!"

"H-Huh?" Vert yawned, before she saw Blanc's face. "Oh dear..."

She hastily picked herself up from the floor, and shook the dust off her clothing, with a displeased look on her face—her elegant dress was in quite a sorry state, stained by dirt and mud.

"I never thought she would do this to us. She seems like such a fine, proper lady..." Vert let out a deep sigh.

"To hell with her! The real question is, where the hell are we right now?"

"Ah~! Our guests are finally awake!" Famika's voice rang through the cold air, before she entered the cell with her entourage of samurais, all wearing mēnpo masks.

"I do apologize for the…poison that we put in your drinks. Fortunately, we got the dosage just right. It would be a shame to accidentally kill your human friends."

"Hey! Why the hell would you do this to us, and where's everyone else?!" Blanc jabbed a finger at her.

"Why? Because I see both of you as _more _than just guests. I never thought that I was preparing my fine cuisine for two CPUs. Fate is a strange thing, indeed..."

"W-Wait a moment...How did you figure it out?" Vert asked.

"Let's just say, a man back in a certain village was questioned by my guards, after an incident happened over there."

_Must be the tavern-keeper,_ Blanc thought.

"As for the other girls, I've locked them up in a separate cell, for sheltering two enemies of Lowee."

"How dare you! How dare you drag our friends into this mess—"

Vert stepped forth, and in response, Famika summoned her naginata, and swung it at her—Blanc's eyes widened in panic, but the blade stopped in mid-air, only an inch away from Vert's throat. Both of them were sweating heavily. They could not possibly fight back, without their power, and escalating the situation further was a bad, bad idea.

"Regardless of whether they are involved, my compassion does not extend to those who serve other Goddesses." Famika glared at them, her scarlet eyes burning with a cold fury. "And if they did know your identities, but decided to hide it from me..."

The cold metallic edge of the naginata was now pressing against Vert's skin, and the blonde Goddess could not utter a word. As Famika moved even closer, Blanc finally broke out of her freeze and lunged at her.

"Stop it!"

"Hmph...you are really testing my patience. Well, we had a good chat, but I'm afraid that I have other important matters to take care of." Famika sighed, and closed her eyes.

She struck Blanc in the stomach with the handle of her naginata, and sent her crashing into the opposite wall. Vert quickly ran up to her, who was curled up on the floor, coughing weakly and holding a hand to her side. Famika made a playful spin with her weapon, as she slowly approached the two.

"Please, Lady Famika..." Vert begged. "We harbor no ill will towards your people, nor the nation of Lowee."

"Of course not." Famika nodded. "But such is the tradition of CPUs. Fated to fight to the death for their nations, and only the strongest shall survive. It has always been like this, since my mother fought in the very first Console War..."

She raised her naginata into the air, ready to bring it down on the two powerless CPUs, with a small grin on her face. Before she could deliver the killing blow, a guard suddenly rushed into the room.

"I-I apologize for the disturbance, Lady Famika!" The samurai yelled, panting heavily.

"We've received a letter that there is ongoing trouble in an eastern village, and our militias were unable to ease the situation. We could send out our squadron of elite samurai, but it would take too long to prepare them for travel."

"Is that so?" Famika lowered her weapon. "There's so much going on. I won't have enough time to deal with these two..."

"I am very sorry for the hassles, milady! We can take care of this situation ourselves, if you wish."

"No, no, it's fine..." Famika shook her head. "Until I've taken care of this… annoyance, I want both of them to be securely locked up. They might be the root of the troubles that befall our land, after all."

"Yes, milady."

Her brows still furrowed in displeasure, Famika left the cell with her guards, who slammed the door shut behind them, and after a click of the lock, there was nothing but dead silence. Heaving a sigh of relief, Vert turned her sight back to her friend.

"Blanc, are you okay?" She asked.

"Tch...That...bitch!" Blanc groaned as Vert grabbed her hand, and helped her to stand back up, before letting out a pained yelp at the bruise on her stomach. "When she comes back, I'm going to _break_ her!"

"I understand how you feel, but right now, we're no match against her, without our power. We need to find a way out and rescue our friends."

"Fine." Blanc grumbled. "But how the hell are we supposed to get out of here? There's no way out of this cell!"

"I suppose so..." Vert lowered her head. "Obviously we can't break ourselves out. At least not without alerting every single guard on this floor..."

* * *

The girls were leaning against the stone walls, and the soul-crushing boredom was already beginning to set in. The spearman outside had stopped talking to them, only occasionally striking the iron bars with his weapon when they were getting too loud.

Compa was huddling up to IF, while Sir-Tech and Origin were sitting in another corner. The wizard seemed pretty unfazed by the situation, while her knight companion was frantically muttering under her breath.

"What would Lady Famika think of me, now? How can I be an avatar of Virtue when I've broken her trust, because of a crime that I haven't committed?!"

"Calm down, and take a deep breath." Sir-Tech said. "Panicking doesn't help."

"Upholding my virtues is of the utmost importance, y-you capricious wizard!" She retorted. "A true knight will never sacrifice their honor, even in the face of great danger!"

"No wonder you are such a noble idiot. In fact, you never think for yourself." Sir-Tech rolled her eyes at the knight.

"How dare you..." Origin gritted her teeth. "Don't act so high and mighty, now you've lost your sorcery. At least I can still fight with my fists!"

"Shh." The wizard hushed her.

"Don't you dare hush me, you blasphemous-!"

"Just listen." The wizard raised her voice, enough for the entire room to hear her statement.

Everyone fell silent. They did as she said, and heard a voice coming from the outside corridor. IF and Compa moved closer to the gate, and peeked through the gaps between the iron bars. The spearman's back was facing them, and he seemed to be talking to someone, though they could only hear a meek, child-like voice in the darkness.

"S-Sir?" The speaker stuttered. "My big sister wants you to come to the castle gate..."

"Order received, Your Majesty." The spearman nodded. "I'll be there soon!"

He quickly jogged away, with his spear in hand, and disappeared into the darkness. Quick, light footsteps could be heard, before a small figure approached their cell, and put his hands on the bars.

"U-Uh, hi..."

"Yokoi?!" The girls exclaimed.

"His Imperial Majesty!" Origin quickly knelt down before the cell gate. "T-Thou hast not come to revoke my knighthood for my perceived offense against the nation, right? Right?!"

"Uh..."

"Knock it off, Origin." IF groaned. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"W-Well, I came to..." He stammered, trying very hard to explain, before he just gave up and fished something out of his pocket.

"You have the key?!" Compa gasped.

"Yeah." He gave her a small nod. "I stole it from my big sis', after they dragged you into the cell..."

"Have you come to free us, then?" Sir-Tech asked. "Would your big sister be fine with it?"

"Yeah..." IF was still staring at him in suspicion. "Why would you want to free us from her?"

"It's b-because..." Yokoi averted his gaze. "I-I don't want her to hurt you..."

"But why would thee trust us, Your Majesty?" Origin stood back up. "Thou hast been hiding from us, since our meeting at the garden."

"It's because I'm not really used to dealing with strangers..." He frowned. "B-But when I think about it, you actually want to be my friend..."

"We honestly do, Yokoi!" Compa smiled. "If what Lady Famika said about you is true, then we can definitely brighten up your day!

"Yeah." IF nodded. "We can always be your friend if you like."

"And thou shalt, indeed!" Origin proudly proclaimed.

"We can be friends, if you let us out, and help us save Blanc and Vert." Sir-Tech added. "But would you be willing to do it?"

The boy was clearly not expecting such an enthusiastic response. He was blushing, fidgeting with his sleeves. After a while, he looked up, with a small, determined smile on his face.

"Mhm, yeah!"

Sliding the key into the lock, he pushed open the door, freeing the girls from the narrow cell. As they left, they nodded to the CPU Candidate in gratitude, and Compa gave him a small pat on the head.

"Thanks for saving us!" The nurse smiled.

"Do you know where Blanc and Vert are?" IF asked.

"Yeah." The boy nodded. "Just follow me!"

* * *

Blanc and Vert were still sitting in their prison, struggling to think of a way to escape. Finally, the blonde Goddess sighed in exhaustion, and turned to her friend.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Well, duh." Blanc rolled her eyes. "Though it's getting a little better."

"That's great..." Vert said. "It was fortunate that they interrupted her just in time, but your bruise..."

"Forget about it." Blanc mumbled. "It's better than getting myself killed. I'm so going to give her a bruise, too, when we beat her up."

"My, you sure hold a grudge, don't you?" Vert chuckled.

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud shout from outside, as an elderly samurai rushed into the corridor, and gestured to the guards around the cell.

"Move to the castle gate, at once! This is an order!"

They quickly grabbed their katanas and equipment, before leaving in a hurry. As the last few samurais streamed out of the corridor, dead silence once again enveloped the dungeon, and the two CPUs were quite puzzled by this unexpected development.

One single samurai remained in the corridor, however, and slowly approached their cell. Their eyes lit up at the familiar wrinkled face.

"It's our tour guide!" Blanc pointed at the elderly samurai.

"Oh dear. Why are you here?" Vert gave him a concerned look.

"I'm carrying out an order." The elderly man replied, and held up a chain of keys.

"You are ordered to release us? Why would she do that?" Blanc frowned.

"It is not Lady Famika's order," the old man stepped aside, revealing a small figure behind him, "but Sir Yokoi's order."

"U-Uh...Hi..." He gave them a small wave.

Four more people emerged from behind Yokoi. IF and Compa, now reunited with the Goddesses, pulled them into a group hug, while the other two merely stood by. Compa, however, embraced Blanc a little too tightly, and saw her wincing.

"Huh? Are you hurt?"

"Ack-! Don't just touch it!" Blanc yelped in pain, as Compa put her hand on the bruise.

"I-I'm very sorry! Lady Blanc!"

Blanc leaned against the wall, while Compa lifted up her clothes and started carefully tending to her injury. It still stung, though not as badly as before.

"How did you get that bruise, Lady Blanc?" IF asked.

"It's that bitch..." She growled. "She was about to kill us, until she got distracted and left!"

"I'm really sorry for what my big sis' did to you..."

"My, you shouldn't be sorry about that. I'm sure it's not your fault." Vert assured Yokoi, though Blanc still had a scowl on her face, as she turned away from the boy.

"W-Well...Okay then..."

"Anyway, why are you saving us?" Blanc looked back at him. "Wouldn't you be in trouble, when your big sister found out?"

"She always hated the other CPUs..." He frowned. "My big sis' told me that they were bad and evil and they would hurt Lowee. But then, I overheard their talk about what happened back in the village, and I don't know if big sis' was right..."

"You know what happened?"

"Y-Yeah." He nodded. "Even though you're CPUs, you're so friendly, and willing to help those people..."

"Absolutely, sir." The elderly samurai agreed. "As much as I have faith in milady, I still have problems with her methods, when it comes to this..."

"So you're a rebelling knight, then?" Sir-Tech asked.

"I wouldn't call myself a rebel. Too old for that." He chuckled. "I just disagree with her on some specific issues, that's all."

"And thou hast sacrificed thy honor for that?!" Origin gasped. "I-Isn't it an act of blasphemy, to betray thy Goddess over trivial disagreements?"

The knight's response earned her a pinch on the cheek from her wizard friend, who seemed like she had finally had enough of her demeanor. Origin struggled to smack her hand away, while grimacing at the tight pinch.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Origin cried in pain. "L-Let go!"

"Consider this a tribune to your nobility." Sir-Tech's eyes narrowed in annoyance, as she squeezed her cheek even harder. "Can't even be normal in this state?"

"Being a true knight is norm-Ow!" Origin yelped, again.

"Guys, enough with that." IF stepped forth, and interrupted their shenanigans. "We must find a way out of this dungeon."

"Yeah, let's get the hell out of here, before she comes back." Blanc said. "She nearly got us killed!"

"There is a secret passage out of the dungeon." The elder informed them, as he walked towards a brick wall. "It has not been used for a long time, but it should be enough to escape the patrols above ground."

Moving his hands across the wall, he finally stopped on a single brick, and pressed down on it. One by one, the bricks floated away, revealing a dark, hollow passage, and the girls were quite surprised by this magic-powered mechanism.

"Use this." The elderly man tossed a torch to IF. "I forget the exact location of the exit, but I'm sure if you keep walking, you'll emerge at a safe place. Bring Yokoi with you, and I'll hold them off as long as I can."

"Got it." The girls nodded in understanding, and quickly moved into the passage.

"It's so dark in here..." Yokoi murmured.

"Don't worry, little Yokoi~!" Vert smiled and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Your big sister would be there for you~!"

"Y-You are not my big sis'!" He retorted.

"I'll be going. Need to talk with the rest of the guards." The elderly man turned away from them. "Good luck out there."

After one last gesture of farewell, they went on their separate ways, as the elderly samurai headed towards the other end of the corridor, and the secret passage sealed itself behind him.

* * *

Famika was preparing to depart from the castle, and her maids were standing around her, saying farewell to their lady, until they were interrupted by loud footsteps and shouts from behind. Turning back, she saw a spearman approaching her, who proceeded to kneel before her.

"Huh?" She frowned. "Why are you here?"

"W-What do you mean?" He asked.

A squadron of samurai soon followed, moving towards the gate in a neat formation before they, too, knelt down in respect to their Goddess.

"We are yours to command, Lady Famika!" The leader of the squadron exclaimed.

"What's going on? I never issue an order from my troops to gather?" She looked even more bewildered.

Her soldiers, too, seemed unsure of what was going on, and Famika was about to ask them about the exact details when the elderly samurai dashed out of the castle, and called out to her.

"Lady Famika!" He shouted. "Your prisoners have escaped from their cell, together with the two CPUs!"

"W-What?!" Famika gasped, before she quickly regained her composure, and turned to her soldiers. "Guards! Whatever you do, don't let them escape from the dungeon. Head to the major ports and roads, if they aren't in there. We can't let them get out of Lowee!"

Following her order, the guards and maids quickly ran back into the castle. Famika was left standing in the courtyard, sighing, accompanied only by the spearman and the elderly samurai.

"How could I fail so miserably at such a simple task...?"

"I thought you called for me, milady..." The spearman scratched his head.

"And who told you that?"

"Your CPU Candidate, Yokoi."

"Yokoi...?" Famika froze at the mention, before the clues started coming together, and a grave realization dawned on her.

"Oh, little brother..."

* * *

_\- ?_

Neptune and Noire continued to soar their way through the sky, until they were high enough to touch the clouds. Below them was a lush greenery, stretching out for miles—the sight of this unusual world from above would never stop being fascinating.

They could see a towering city in the distance, which reminded them that it was landing time—wouldn't want a repeat of that fiasco in Planeptune. Noire reverted back to her human form, as they landed in the forest below, looking quite relieved to end her long flight.

They continued to walk towards the unfamiliar city. The wild vegetation faded into cleanly-trimmed lawns as they emerged out of the woods, and saw the city in its full glory. Every building was painted in black and white, much like the cities of Lastation, though their rigid, blocky shapes were still odd to their eyes.

While the pair was wandering through the streets, they could see several machineries humming around the blocks. Certainly a tech-savvy city, though the technology was as outdated as a vintage machine.

"This place looks really weird!" Neptune commented. "It's like an off-color copy of Lastation!"

"I'd say this city is a little…industrial, but not advanced." Noire replied. "It looks recently industrialized."

The pair continued to wander, without a clear destination in their mind. Most pedestrians were wearing some kind of formal attire, judging by their fancy suits and briefcases. Was the entire nation this business-oriented? Maybe it was only the city itself that was wealthy.

"This city is so...on the nose, with their technology and businesses. Not even my nation would be this weird." Noire said.

They soon found themselves in the midst of a huge crowd, gathered at a crossroad. People were holding recorders, and flashes of camera light occasionally pierced through the crowd. With all the chatters going on, it must be some kind of celebrity interview.

"What's going on over there?" Noire asked. "Is there a talk show?"

"For a talk show, they sure get a lot of cameras, just snapping back and forth!" Neptune perked up in amazement. "C'mon Noire! Let's go take a closer look!"

"N-Nep! There are too many people! We can't just squeeze our way through!"

"Boohoo~" She teased. "No wonder you can't make friends~! Are you afraid of the crowd?"

"Ugh! Fine!" Noire facepalmed, before following Neptune into the crowd.

She was still holding onto the Hypercube. The pair tried their best to keep it hidden from the public sight, making sure no one would see the most powerful artifact in Gamindustri in the hands of some random teenage girls.

Rocking back and forth through the crowd, they could barely see what was going on from the other side, but the speeches were broadcasted from the central stage at a deafening volume.

"Lady Sylvania!" An interviewer called out. "What do you think of the tension between Tari and Magnabox?"

"Milady!" Another speaker cut in. "Do you think that Intellastion could become the victor of the current Console War?"

"Calm down, everyone! One at a time!" A teenage girl wiped the sweat away from her forehead, and before long, many cameras were snapping at her.

"For the first question, Tari and Magnabox have been rivals for a...very long time, and it is not my place to comment on their ancient grudges. For the second question, the current Console War has indeed become a lot more heated. Though fewer CPUs exist nowadays, the tension has gotten worse that anyone could have anticipated, and every conflict is pouring oil on a blazing fire. I do not think my power would be enough to challenge Tari and Magnabox, but hear my words! I am confident that Intellastion is strong enough to protect itself from its rivals, under my reign."

Another swarm of interviewers soon gathered around the center stage, and the girls continued to answer their question one by one. Meanwhile, the pair were watching the ongoing interview with a confused expression, unable to recognize the girl on the stage.

"Who is that girl?" Neptune wondered. "She doesn't look like a typical celebrity."

"The better question is, why are they interviewing her about the whole 'Console War' thing?" Noire raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think that's weird? Unless she's a..."

"A CPU?" Neptune answered. "Yeah...that would actually make a lot of sense."

"We need to get out of here, now." Noire whispered to her, clutching onto the Hypercube. "If she figured out we're holding a powerful weapon..."

Slowly backing away from the girl, the pair started tiptoeing their way back onto the surrounding streets. Just when they had sneaked to the edge of the crowd, the Hypercube suddenly made a weird echoing sound, which attracted a few curious glances from the crowd. Most just gave them a puzzled look before turning their attention back to the stage, but the girl herself...

"That sound..." The girl frowned. "I know that sound...!"

"W-We have to get out of here, quick!" Noire almost leaped up in fright as she grabbed Neptune's arm, and sprinted away from the crowd.

* * *

The pair finally stopped in a dark alleyway. After one last glance around the street, to make sure they were not being followed, both of them heaved a sigh of relief.

"Phew!" Neptune sat down on the ground, completely exhausted. "That's a close call.."

"Easy for you to say that! We almost showed this cube to her!" Noire complained, shaking the Hypercube in front of a certain protagonist.

"Eheheh..." Neptune let out a nervous chuckle. "At least we now know that she's a CPU. Isn't that right, little cubey?"

The Hypercube chimed in agreement.

"See?"

"Ugh! Whatever!" Noire groaned. "Come on! We have to get out of here before she chases us down! Jeez, really? Intellastion? Even the name is a weird knockoff of my nation!"

Coming out of the shadows, the pair returned to the street. Noire was still muttering under her breath about the uncanny resemblance between this nation and her own, as they continued their journey. They did not notice a figure trailing behind them, shrouded in a cloak.

"Found you two..." The figure let out a low whisper.

* * *

The pair ended up stumbling into a small cafe nearby. Its interior was neat, clean and nicely decorated. As they made their way across the store, their heels tapping on the black and white checkered-patterned tiles, a woman in maid dress greeted them.

"Hello." The waitress smiled. "Would you like a table for two?"

"Uh, sure." Noire nodded.

The waitress gestured for them to follow her. They stopped in front of a nicely decorated table, located right beside a glass wall, and the pair sank into the cozy seats—what a great place to relax around for a bit.

"What would you like to order?" The woman asked, and placed two menus in front of them.

"Awww, really? No puddings?" Neptune whined, as she flipped through the menu.

"Doesn't look that bad though." Noire said. "I'll have a small cake."

"Which flavor? We have chocolate, vanilla, cinamon, and our newest specialty, eggplant."

"E-Eggplant?!" Neptune made a funny grimace. "Yuck! Why would there be an eggplant cake?!"

"I see..." Noire smirked. "I'll have the vanilla one. And she'll have the eggplant cake."

"Yes, ma'am." The waitress nodded, as she jotted down the order on a clipboard.

"Nepu-?! You can't do that!" Neptune protested. "Oh wait! You don't even have credits!"

"Actually..." Noire dangled a hundred credit bill in front of her, with a victorious smile on her face. "Before we left, Tecmo gave me a hefty amount of credits, just in case."

"N-No way! Why didn't she give some to me, too?!"

"Do you want anything else?" The waitress asked.

"Noooo! And scrap that eggplant cake!" Neptune begged. "I don't wanna eat that!"

"Jeez, fine. I'm just messing with you." Noire facepalmed. "Please give her the chocolate cake instead."

"Sure, ma'am."

The waitress gave them a small bow, before taking her leave. While they were waiting, they started glancing into the streets, through the glass wall, wondering if something interesting would pass by.

Eventually, the stream of pedestrians became a boring blur of color. Noire was struggling to hold back a yawn, and right at that moment, the Hypercube started rattling on her lap.

"W-Wah?! Hey! Would you keep it down?!" Noire whispered to the cube, in a hushed voice. "You might get us in trouble!"

"I think little cubey is getting tired of you." Neptune said. "Maybe we should switch?"

Noire nodded as she passed the Hypercube to Neptune, under the table. It was shaking even more frantically in Neptune's hands, however. In the panicked bickering that ensued, they did not notice a cloaked figure entering the store, and sitting down right behind Neptune.

"Can you please tell it to shut up?!"

"U-Uh, I don't know!" Neptune shrugged. "I think there's something wrong with little cubey..."

Now the cube was chiming like a broken alarm clock. Neptune was struggling to smother the sounds with the tablecloth, but even so, the noise was starting to attract curious glances from other customers.

"Are there any more, ma'am?" The waitress asked, after she had finished taking orders from the cloaked figure.

"That'll be all."

Right after the waitress left, the cloaked figure stood up, and reached her hand into her sleeves. Then, she leaned down, and slid something below Neptune's seat. The Hypercube made a loud, angry beep, and right at that moment, Neptune caught sight of a curious object on the floor.

"What the?" Neptune frowned. "Is that a card?"

"Wait...No! Back off!"

A sudden burst of light erupted from underneath the table, shaking the entire cafe with the impact of the explosion. People were fleeing out of the cafe, bumping into each other in the thick smoke. Neptune and Noire, knocked back into a wall by the shockwave, were coughing their lungs out as they struggled to stand back up.

"N-Nep!" Noire yelled. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine!" Neptune assured her, as she grabbed her hand. "Not gonna get knocked out this time!"

"That's great—Wait, where's the Hypercube?!"

They started desperately digging through the rubbles, looking for signs of the brown cube, and finally, they saw it, lying only a few steps away from a shadowy figure.

"Hey! Who are you!" Noire retorted.

"The same opponent you faced before." The mysterious figure chuckled, as she tossed her cloak aside.

"Nakayama?!" The pair gasped.

"Of course." She nodded. "After what happened back in Planeptune, well, let's just say that your possession has caught my interest."

Slowly and deliberately, she walked towards the Hypercube. Neptune and Noire quickly ran toward the cube, before Nakayama threw a deck of cards towards them, causing them to bump right into an invisible magical barrier.

"Ow! W-Wha?!" Neptune put a hand to her forehead, wincing.

"Not this time." Nakayama smiled. "You have no idea how much this Hypercube means to mortals. And for us CPUs, it is _invaluable_."

"Hey! Don't take the Hypercube away!" Noire retorted.

"Oh? Why not?" She narrowed her eyes, and the magical barrier shrunk around the pair, squeezing them together in a very uncomfortable position.

"Do you have any idea how important this Hypercube is? Once you have it in your hands, you will be invincible, thanks to its unbelievable power! This little cube is the reason why no CPUs can ever stand a chance, going against Odyssee. I don't know how she let it slip into your hands, but maybe it's time for someone to defeat Magnabox and claim the whole Gamindustri? Yes, claim it, once and for all..."

The Hypercube was trembling, letting out one shaky chime after another, as it floated away from Nakayama. She did not stop her advance, and moved closer and closer towards the weapon, until it was forced into a corner.

She was about to put her hand on the cube when a blast tore through the nearby wall. Her magical barrier was up in an instant, shielding her from the explosion, but the impact still threw the Hypercube away from her, and sent it tumbling through the rubbles.

Amidst the smoke and debrises, a teenage girl revealed herself. The pair caught a glimpse of the crest on her armband—it was the same symbol on Intellastion's flags and banners.

"Sylvania..." Nakayama glared at her opponent.

"I never thought you would step so low as to attack my civilians, Nakayama. Shame on you!"

"None of your business!" Nakayama retorted, as she flung her cards toward her.

A fight between the CPUs of Planeptune and Intellastion had begun.

* * *

_\- Forest, Lowee_

An old, abandoned structure, completely made of bricks, had been standing in the middle of this thick, snowy forest for a long time. Yet, on this day, the giant valve on its rusted door suddenly started spinning and creaking, before the door swung open. Several figures emerged from the dark passage, with a look of relief on their face.

"Phew!" IF smiled. "I'm glad that we've made it out."

"Yeah." Compa nodded, "That passage is like a maze!"

"C-Can you let go of me now?"

"Sure." Vert chuckled, as she released Yokoi from her tight embrace.

Once again, the group found themselves in the middle of nowhere, only that this time, they had a new party member with them. The dense snow in the woods covered up the ground like a giant carpet—Sir-Tech and Origin were leading the way, and Blanc barely managed to hold back a curse as she almost slipped on the icy ground.

"We're back at square one, aren't we...?" She groaned.

"Oh come on, Blanc. It isn't nearly as bad..." Vert gave her an amused look. "This time we are with Iffy, Compa, and three new friends."

"Indeed!" Origin gave them a thumbs-up. "Thy adventure shalt be even more glorious and fascinating, with the aid of thy noble companions!"

"I'm not going to act like being stranded in the wilderness is a normal thing. Also, that knight girl? She's not helping." Blanc facepalmed, hard.

"Oh, she's always been this way." Sir-Tech chimed in.

"How could thee treat a noble knight like a clown?!"

"Guys, knock it off..." IF sighed. "Our priority is to find a way out of Lowee. Any suggestions?"

"Obviously not their docks." Sir-Tech scoffed. "Now that they know of our escape, I'm sure Lady Famika would have increased the patrol around the major roads and ports."

"W-Wait..." Origin stuttered. "If we are on Lowee's wanted list, doesn't that mean we are…criminals?!"

"Uh, obviously?" The whole group had a deadpan expression on their face.

"This is why I don't like your nobility nonsense..." Sir-Tech mumbled, and pinched her companion on the cheeks once again, interrupting her ramble before it could begin.

"Ow, ow, ow! S-Stop it! You treacherous wizard!"

Compa finally interfered and stopped their little scuffle, and the group started wandering through the snowy forest again, unsure about which way they should go—the lush wilderness seemed to stretch out endlessly towards the horizon.

"Are we lost?" Yokoi asked.

"Uhh, of course not! We're just… taking a tour around this serene forest! Enjoying the scenery!" Vert let out a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah sure, I found this forest _very_ interesting..." Blanc's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"This shall be the prologue to a great adventure!" Origin smiled. "Perhaps we would soon encounter some formidable foes, or wretched monsters—a great chance to hone my swordsmanship!"

"Battle is not a game, Origin." Sir-Tech sighed.

"The noble virtues of knighthood, forged through the fire of combat, is far from being child's play!" She retorted. "If adventuring is a childish endeavour, what is serious matter to thee, then?"

"Studying the fine workings of magic and spells. A much more meaningful use of one's time..."

"Sheesh, how do you girls manage to stay as friends?" IF mumbled.

"Don't worry, IF." The wizard assured her. "We can get along, when she's not acting like an overzealous adventurer."

"As if I would abandon my honor and pride for thy pleasure!" The knight huffed, and turned away from her companion.

"Now, now! How about we continue this discussion, after we're out of Lowee?" Compa cut in.

"She has a point." IF said. "For now, let's keep moving, before they find us again."

"Yes." Sir-Tech nodded. "I understand."

"Good! I truly need a break, from the nagging of that petty wizard..."

The group continued wading through the snow, and suddenly, a meek, uneasy voice broke the dead silence.

"I-I don't know if I should go any further..." Yokoi said. "I don't want to leave my big sis alone."

"Turn back, and she'll punish you for freeing us." Blanc sighed.

"B-But-!"

"You are the only person who could have done this, Yokoi," IF warned, "and I'm sure she knows it. She's going to be really angry at you, if you run back."

"M-My big sis' isn't that bad!" He shook his head. "She always takes care of me when I'm alone, and she's always there for me, when I'm feeling sad...even though she has done bad things to you, it-it just doesn't feel right, to leave my sister behind..."

Yokoi was sniffling now, trying his best to hold back a sob, as he hastily wiped the tears away from his face.

"P-Please..." He whimpered. "Don't drag me away from her."

"There, there..." Vert knelt down beside him, and started to gently caress his back. "I know you love your big sister. We are just worried that she might mistreat you, once you get back."

"No need to be woeful, Your Majesty!" Origin smiled. "Even though Lady Famika...probably sees us as a bunch of wretched criminals now, I assure you that nothing bad will happen to your sister!"

"A-Are you sure...?"

"Maybe." Sir-Tech shrugged.

"As long as she doesn't come for us, we won't try to hurt her." IF assured him. "Man, it's not like we can stand a chance against her, much less fighting back..."

"Oh, _not _hurting that bitch is going to be such a pain..." Blanc growled, "especially after she threw me against a wall, and laid her glaive on Vert!"

"Yeah, I know..." Vert sighed as she patted the little boy's head. "But we can't do anything to her. It's in Yokoi's best interest."

"Y-Yeah." Compa added. "Even if she's out there somewhere, hunting us down.."

"Then we better get out of here, before her army comes for us." Sir Tech said.

"I agree with my fellow companion!" Origin nodded. "Can't wait to see what danger lies in our path!"

"Yeah, sure..."

They continued exploring through the unfamiliar woods. Origin took the lead again, with a renewed enthusiasm, while her wizard companion was silently cringing underneath her hood. Meanwhile, Vert was still holding onto the little boy, and Blanc was struggling to keep up a straight face at the sight.

"U-Uh...Can you let me go?" Yokoi pleaded.

"My, my, you're just too adorable~!" She snuggled up to the boy.

"First, young girls. Now, young boy? I have a feeling that you're more than a lolicon..."

"That's not true!"

"Oh, sure. I'll let Nepgear know that you have a new sibling, once we find her."

Just as they were going to start another round of bickering, the two were hushed by IF.

"Shh! Be quiet!"

"Huh? What's wrong, Iffy?"

"I think I heard something…over there! Quick!"

IF hurried towards the direction where the noise seemed to be coming from, and her friends soon followed. Most of them were having some trouble treading through the thick snow, but the brunette was not slowing down at all.

"Woah, calm down, IF!" Origin said. "Thou hast more energy than a seasoned knight and adventurer!"

"Well, Iffy has joined many expeditions before." Compa commented.

Moving down the slippery slope at the edge of the woods, they found themselves on the shore of a frozen lake, devoid of all signs of life, except for the shadows of fishes underneath the thick ice sheet. The cold wind cut against their bare skins, causing them to shiver as they glanced around the open space.

"So, why did you lead us here?" Blanc turned to IF.

"I'm pretty sure I heard someone's voice, coming from this direction." IF scratched her head.

"Incoming!"

A loud voice shouted, and the next second, an explosion bursted out in the center of the lake, creating huge cracks on the ice sheets. Everyone ducked down and took cover, and Vert was shielding Yokoi beneath her body. As the smoke cleared away, the group emerged from their hiding spots—a shadowy figure could be seen in the distance, standing atop the fragmented ice.

"Ah! Now it should be weak enough!" A feminine voice rang through the air. "Enough for my trusty shovel to finish the job!"

"Hey! The hell have you just done?!" Blanc complained, "You might seriously hurt someone!"

"Huh? Oops! Sorry! I must have gotten carried away. This stupid ice sheet just won't break."

A teenage girl leaped off the ice, and landed on the shore, her hip-long maroon hair swaying in the wind. There were a lot of straps and belts on her outfit, with standard adventuring gears dangling off them. She was wearing a pair of long brown boots and fingerless gloves.

"You know, when you're so dedicated to a simple thing, it'll eventually make you blind to everything else, like an absolute madman—and that's why I didn't see you people back there, busy catching fish and all!" She finished the long sentence in one shot.

"I-I see." IF gave her a blank stare.

"And-Oh! Isn't that the little prince, hiding back there?" She waved at the young boy. "Hello there, Prince Yokoi! How are you?"

Her enthusiasm seemed to spook the little boy, who quickly took cover behind Vert. Scratching her head in confusion, she finally shrugged and decided to let go of the matter.

"I never expected the young prince to be this socially awkward. But oh man! You're pretty lucky that he seems to take a liking to you! Gotta admit, the shy little prince has some oddly cute charm to him—"

"Can you please stop talking for just one second...?" Sir-Tech interrupted her rambling. "You're reminding me of Origin."

"Hey! As a noble knight, I am no chatterbox! Don't compare me to her!"

"So, uh, who are you?" Compa asked.

"Great question!" She gave them thumbs up. "Name's Namco, loves to wander around and take in some new ideas from folks, like, really. Been travelling in Lowee for quite awhile now, I guess? Time sure is ticking fast. So anyway, I'm an adventuring type of person, like a Libble Rabble with my trusty mappy in hand, eh, you know, the usual adventurer stuff?"

"Ah, a fellow adventurer." Origin smiled. "Never met a native adventurer before."

"Oh, hush! You're flattering me! Man, this whole Console War thing is such a bother to my adventure, no matter where I go! They thought I was some kind of spy trying to fly under their radar, just to get them puffed by whatever pump they claimed that I have...You know it's absolutely bull, right?"

"Yeah, sure..." Blanc facepalmed.

"So," IF asked, "are there any towns or villages nearby?"

"Yep." Namco replied, as she brought her shovel down on a large chunk of ice. "Just head north, and you'll see the road up ahead. Then, keep going west, and you'll end up at the docks. Turn east and the road will lead you to the villages, though I don't recommend heading there without permission."

"Yeah.. about that.." Vert looked away from her.

"They aren't going to welcome us with open arms." Blanc added.

"Huh? Why's that so?"

Namco tilted her head, with a puzzled expression on her face, and for a second, there was only the sound of wind blowing through the woods. Then, a realization seemed to dawn on her, and she gasped in shock.

"W-Wait..." She pointed a finger at Yokoi, "Have you kidnapped the little prince?!"

"H-Huh?!" IF shook her head. "No! It is a misunderstanding-!"

"Get away from him, you pathetic shotacons!" Namco whipped a pump-like weapon out of nowhere, and aimed it straight at them. "Release the CPU Candidate, or else! I'm not afraid to fight all six of you with my trusty weapon!"

"Hey! Who are you calling a pathetic shotacon?!" Origin complained.

"You, of course!"

"I'm a noble knight, and I'm no pathetic shotacon! Thou art...the shotacon! Foul slanderer!"

A round of bickering ensued, and the rest of the group just watched on with a deadpan expression, as the two threw more overdramatic accusations at each other. Yokoi seemed especially confused.

"Would you two stop already?" Blanc finally intervened, annoyed by their antics. "We haven't kidnapped the CPU Candidate. He comes with us willingly."

"Then why is that blonde girl trying to smother him with her chest?" Namco pointed at Vert.

"Oh, her. Well, she's pretty much a pathetic shotacon." Blanc averted her gaze.

"Blanc! You know that's not true!" The blonde Goddess complained.

"Then why won't you let go of him? He's been begging you since you got your hands on him..."

"Oh, that's not true." She pouted, before turning to Yokoi. "You like your big sister's hug, right?"

"P-Please..." He whimpered.

"See, I told you!"

"Ugh! Let me go! Just let me go!" Yokoi huffed, before he finally wriggled his way out of Vert's embrace, though he was soon dragged back and subjected to another round of fawning.

"Jeez, she's really getting carried away..." Blanc sighed. "Well, long story short, we did take him away from his big sister, but I'm sure we're protecting him from her."

"Huh? Protecting Yokoi from Lady Famika? What are you talking about...?"

"It's...complicated."

"Sir Yokoi?" Namco asked, as she approached the CPU Candidate. "Is this all true?"

"U-Uhh…" He stuttered. "...Y-Yes."

"Oh..." Namco was clearly not expecting such a response. She scratched at her head, with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm not really sure what's going on here. But man, guess life at home isn't all fine and dandy for our little prince..."

"Y-Yeah.." Yokoi nodded.

"That's why we're keeping him away from her." IF said. "The authorities would probably start looking for him soon."

"Okay then. First thing first, the docks over there are packed with checkpoints and guards. Been there already—took me an hour to get through the line."

"So, definitely not the place to go." Sir-Tech sighed. "We can't leave Lowee if the security is this tight, at every junction."

"Leaving Lowee?" Namco frowned at the mention. "So, let me get this straight. All of you here are on their wanted list, right?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Vert nodded.

"Hmm..." She pondered. "Well, I think me and my pals might be able to help you out."

"Really?" Compa's eyes lit up.

"Yep. Me and my pals, we make a living by distributing our fancy toy products through the entire Gamindustri. You can easily bypass the authorities in our exports."

"So you're going to ship us like animals?" Blanc glared at her.

"Of course not!" Namco shook her head, "A disguise as one of our fellow workers should work just fine! But they would recognize Yokoi, even in disguise, so keep that in mind, alright?"

"No problem." Origin smiled. "A simple disguise shouldn't hurt."

"Yeah…but some guards would still be looking around the crates, just to make sure we are following the proper regulations."

"So there's still a problem?" Vert asked.

"Somewhat. Kinda. But it's not as bad as going through their secured checkpoints."

"Fair enough. I suppose that should be our next destination?"

"We don't have any other options left. So, yes." IF nodded. "Which way is it, Namco?"

"Ah! Just follow me!" Namco responded with a huge grin. "But first, let me reel in all the fishes in this little hole!"

"We don't have time for this..." Blanc groaned.

"What? I've given you a way out of Lowee. At least have some patience."

"Fine!" She snarked, and looked away.

Tugging a small chunk of bait onto the hook, Namco casted the line into the hole on the ice sheet. Before long, fishes were biting the hook, and getting thrown into a nearby basket. The group were pacing back and forth as they watched the fishing frenzy, unsure of how long this would drag on, until she finally rolled up her fishing lines with a huff.

"Phew, I'm done here! let's go." She gestured. "These fishes aren't going to stay fresh for long."

The basket was packed to the brim with fishes, yet Namco did not seem affected by the weight at all, as she jumped off the ice, and started leading them away from the lake. Finally, they could focus back on their escape.

* * *

_\- Balarch_

After climbing up a long ladder, Nepgear and friends found themselves on one of the many rooftops in this massive city, surrounded by towering buildings. The twins instinctively backed away from the edge, after a single downward glance—this building was _tall_. Maybe too tall.

"You sure have a huge base of operation." Uni exclaimed, as she glanced at the city skyline. "But for a rebel group, are you sure a base like this is...safe?"

"Can't say that for sure. But it's the only building big enough for all of our ships." Estella shrugged.

"Balarch's patrols don't roam around this place that much, so we're safe for now." Astro assured them. "I'm sure it wouldn't be much of a problem."

"There's a lot going around here.." Nepgear mumbled, before she turned back to Estella. "Do you know a way back to Planeptune?"

"Planeptune, huh?" Estella said. "It's about two nations away. Would be a pretty long trip, if you are walking or driving. but a flight should be enough."

"No, it's fine." Nepgear shook her head "Like I said, you've already done more than enough for us."

"I see. You're a pretty kind and humble person." The major smiled.

"You think the A-Squad might stir up troubles around here?" Astro asked her senior.

"I don't know. They've been off our radar for quite a while. "

"I think they had made a hassle again, back in Tari." Zappa informed them.

"Which one of them?"

"Duchess, and some new recruits."

"Recruits?" Estella frowned. "How odd. Why would they suddenly hire someone? They should be skilled enough for anything, on their own..."

"No idea." Zappa shrugged. "Heard that on the police radio. To be more specific, there are two new recruits—a teenage girl, and a rat."

"That sounds so familiar." Uni mumbled.

"When did it happen?" Galaxa joined the talk.

"Just several hours ago, right after you left Tari."

"Sheesh..." Galaxa sighed. "I don't want to go back to Tari again...My jet's fuel always gets drained to a tiny sliver on the return trip. The nation's just too far away."

"Well, your ship is a fast one. No wonder it burns through the storage so quickly, hehe." Estelle chuckled.

"So.." Nepgear sweat dropped, "Do you think they'll still be looking for us?"

"Of course." Uni sighed. "That little CPU is really mad at us. She won't just let go of the matter."

"If you're trying to leave the city, you'll need to use the alleyways." Astro told them. "Most of the time, the patrols only cover the main streets. Pretty dangerous to be out there, on one of these roads."

"Here, take this." Galaxa passed a radio to Nepgear, "If there's a patrol nearby, we can see it with our old satellite—used to be Tari's military asset, and warn you girls in time."

"O-Oh! Thank you!" Nepgear responded with a shy smile. "W-We are kinda new around here, though, so we don't really know which way to go..."

"I'll give you directions while you're out there."

"And if things go off the rails, you can always use this!" Astro also handed over something to Uni.

"What's this?" Uni stared at the strange firearm.

"It's a pulse-blaster pistol." Astro answered. "A handheld version of my jet's turret. I don't really use it that much, and just leave it inside my jet. Maybe it could be useful for you in the end."

"Oh, that's great!" Uni smiled. "Thanks. I could use a good sidearm, now that I've lost my guns."

The girls sat down on the rooftop, casually chatting with their newfound allies, while the twins had started a game of tag, and were running around them in circles. Suddenly, Estella caught a glance of something on her HUD, and stood back up.

"Girls, Balarch's patrol is coming. By air." Estella warned. "We better get back inside."

"I thought they don't usually search around this block?" Uni frowned.

"Same." Estella nodded. "Must be a city-wide heavy patrol. Let's go."

"Rom and Ram!" Nepgear called out to the twins. "We need to go back inside!"

"Yes, Nepgear!" They quickly ran back to the group, and together, the girls hurried down the ladder.

Nepgear and her friends reached the bottom, and went back into their hideout first, followed by the Rangers. Estella, as the last person to climb down, shut the metallic trap door before beginning her descent, sealing them from the surface. The whirling of helicopter blades could be heard, coming from above, hovering back and forth.

"Astro, I thought the patrol never comes to this block?" Estella turned to her teammate. "What's going on here?"

"U-Uh, I don't know! Let me check my monitor." She stuttered.

Astro sprinted through the hallway, and stopped in front of her computer, which was sitting beside the ships. The screen came to life with a buzz as she typed on her keyboard, and started scanning the surrounding area.

"Woah! That's a lot of choppers, just zooming around this block!" Astro gasped at the cluster of red dots on the screen. "And look at the other city sectors. Hardly a single person out there, on the streets."

"That's odd..." Galaxa mumbled. "Why would they gather all of their patrols in a single block?"

"Yeah." Zappa agreed.

"Unless..." Nepgear took a deep breath, "they're not simply patrolling around, but trying to track us down..."

"But that's impossible! This base is completely sealed off. How did they even find us?" Astro said.

"We can't confirm if they're just patrolling, or trying to track something to its exact location." Estella turned to the group. "Until the situation is clear, let's not-"

A sudden explosion from above interrupted her command. Debrises rained down from the ceiling, and the girls immediately ducked down for cover.

"Watch out!"

"A-Ah!" The twins screamed, as Nepgear pulled them into her arms.

"Stay with me, girls!" Nepgear told them, before turning to the nearest Ranger. "What's going on?!"

"The base got hit!" Galaxa shouted to Estella. "Attacker remains unidentified!"

The girls slowly stood up and came out of their cover as the dust settled down, their eyes still watering from the smoke. The screeching sound of spinning gears could be heard through the thick fog. Uni drew her new pistol, and aimed it at the hazy greyness beyond. Something was watching them, and soon, it emerged from the wreckage.

"There you are!" C-Grass laughed, standing above her robot companion. "Think you can hide from me?!"

"Not her again..." Nepgear and her friends stammered, and held onto each other.

"Now, after the mess you made at the market, the severity of your crime has risen through the roof! People were panicking like headless chickens, thanks to you idiots!"

"Aren't you the one who technically caused the most damage?" Estella replied in her most dry, tired voice.

"S-Shut up, you stupid cosplayer!" The small CPU retorted, and started stomping on her mecha again. "What do you think I'm gonna do, when they ran away from a CPU like me?! Sit down and have a chit-chat?!"

Barely managing to hold back her anger, she finally took a deep breath, and stopped her little tantrum.

"Ugh!" She growled. "This time, I've fit Abby with a better gun, and it won't be loading as slowly as a stupid sloth!"

"H-How can we run from her now...?" Rom whispered to Nepgear, with a look of sheer terror in her eyes.

"I-I don't know." Nepgear lowered her head.

"As for you!" C-Grass pointed a finger at Uni. "Don't even try to ditch me this time! I built those turrets to make sure you can't react fast enough!"

"Yeah, sure..." Uni gritted her teeth, and tightened her grip on the pistol.

"Now, surrender, or Abby will reduce you to a smear on the floor!" She demanded.

The floor trembled beneath her mecha as it winded up its gatling guns, and the girls dropped to the ground, trying to make themselves into less visible targets. However, Astro, who was taking cover behind the monitor, seemed to have something else in mind.

"Pssh! Hey guys!" She whispered to the girls. "I think there's a way out of this!"

"Huh? How?" They muttered.

"Her big toy over there? It's right in front of my ship." She pointed to the mecha, while typing on her small HUD with her other hand. "Now, if I do this..."

With a single command, her jet's turret came to life, aiming its barrel at the large mecha and firing a string of cyan laser towards it. The huge robot was blasted onto the opposite wall—it slided down onto the floor, still and motionless. C-Grass, who was thrown off her mecha by the impact, quickly dashed towards it in a panic.

"A-Abby!" She yelled. "A-Are you alright?!"

"Now's our chance!"

The girls stood back up, and made a run for their ships. C-Grass did not even react to their escape in her distress, as she knelt besides her mecha, and started examining the damage, worried about her mecha.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Would be taking a break from doing weekly chapters. With something going around on the outside, I'll be sure to keep pursuing on this fanfiction as much as possible.

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreading & Adjustment with the wordings.


	9. First-Person Shooter

"Come on!"

Urging the girls to keep up with their pace. Estella climbed onto her jet, along with Uni—fortunately, her ride is a two-seat jet. Nepgear and the twins followed Astro into her jet, before the other rangers also got into their seats.

The jets' engines began to rumble, and their turbines were spinning faster and faster. Astro typed a command into her small HUD, and the large metallic gates slowly slid open, exposing the hangar to the outside air and sunlight.

"This is Major Estella. What's the current status?" Estella called through the jet's radio.

"This is Captain Galaxa, we're hearing you, loud and clear." Galaxa replied.

"Airman Basic Astro on the radio!" Astro yelled. "I got Nepgear and the twins into the ship! We're ready for take-off!"

"Lieutenant Zappa here." The last voice responded, calm and concise as ever. "Awaiting for command, over."

"Good!" Estella smiled. "Now listen up! We've got many airborne hostiles within the perimeter of the base. Once we leave the hangar, we're going to take them out, one by one, before we can make our escape. Got that?"

"Copy that, Major Estella." Zappa replied.

While the rangers were preparing for their take-off, Nepgear was nervously fidgeting with her seat belts and sweating heavily.

"Hey, uhh...From what I've heard, you...haven't done a lot of piloting before. Are you sure we'll be safe?"

"Of course!" Astro nodded. "Just because I'm still working on it, doesn't mean I'm bad at—wah!"

She must have clutched the lever a little too tight, because the jet's thrusters suddenly let out a huge roar, and they were propelled out of their hangar and off the ground at a dangerous speed. Her fellow rangers let out a collective gasp at the sight.

"Dang it, Astro!" Galaxa complained.

"Alright, just move, move, move!"

On Estella's quick commands, her own jet took off, before the rest of the rangers followed suit. Soaring through Balarch's skyline, a squadron of jets soon caught up to them in hot pursuit. Astro's jet was in the lead, whizzing through the air at an intense speed, and all of its passengers were shaking with fright—all except one.

"Weee~!" Ram reeled back in her seat. "This is fun!"

"Uwah! Slow it down!" Nepgear screamed, as the jet made another sharp turn.

"I'm trying!"

Most of the pursuers were tailing Astro's jet, since it was the first one to get out of the hangar. The jet narrowly avoided a hail of oncoming projectiles, as it made multiple barrel rolls in a risky stunt. They were so close to each other now, chatters from the pursuing jets could be picked up by their radio.

"This is Unit-146. We have several wanted criminals on the loose, piloting unauthorized aircrafts within Balarch's airspace."

"All units, beware, these suspects are riding military-grade aircrafts. Pursuit with caution. Eliminate them, if possible."

"Dang, there's a lot of them..." Estella mumbled, as she looked at the cluster of dots on her radar.

"Nepgear, Rom and Ram might be in danger!" Uni exclaimed, her voice fraught with worry. "We have to do something about it!"

"I'm on it." Estella nodded, before she pressed a button, and the automated turrets below the cockpit started rotating. "I'm activating the secondary turrets, but I need a hand, since those can only be manually controlled. Can you use these?"

"Huh..." Uni gave her a thumbs-up. "Of course! Guns are one of my specialties!"

"Great." She smiled, and made a few more types on her HUD screen, before bringing the controller to Uni's seat. "Be careful not to shoot Astro's jet, okay?"

"Got it." Uni smirked. This was going to be the greatest shooting mayhem of her life.

"Rangers, open fire!"

All their jets now began to fire back at the authority's aircrafts, and the bullets soon tore through a few jets' hulls, shattering them into pieces. Uni aimed the turrets towards those near Astro's ship, while they were still regrouping, and fired multiple shots, annihilating all the jets in its way.

"Haha! It's like one of those flight simulator games!" Uni yelled in excitement, as she continued to shoot at the pursuing aircrafts and blast them into oblivion.

"Not sure what you mean, but I guess so." Estella let out a nervous chuckle.

"Major Estella, we got more enemies coming from our left flank!" Galaxa informed them through the radio.

"Got it." She responded. "Zappa, go give Astro a hand. I and Galaxa would hold off the rest."

"Roger that."

* * *

"What's wrong with this ship?!" Nepgear whimpered.

"U-Uh, I don't know!" Astro shrugged. "Let me try this button..."

The jet suddenly made an abrupt drop, almost crashing them into the buildings below, earning multiple shrieks of panic from its passengers.

"Bad idea, bad idea!" Astro shook her head, as she frantically spun her control wheel.

In her hurry to move the jet away from nearby buildings, the jet made multiple erratic twists and turns, almost throwing the girls out of their seats while Astro struggled to maintain the balance of the jet.

"Yeah! Woo-Hoo!" Ram was still cheering, in the midst of the chaos.

"R-Ram!" Rom squealed.

"Are you even a trained pilot?!" Nepgear exclaimed.

"O-Of course, I am!" Astro retorted. "Just give me a sec'!"

They were so close to the ground now, they could see the pedestrians looking up at them, and Astro was now rapidly mashing the buttons in her cockpit, trying her damndest to not let the jet bump into any nearby buildings—until she caught sight of something on her HUD.

"Aha! I got it!" Astro's eyes lit up. "Apparently, my ship has an auto-pilot mode that I wasn't aware of..."

Finally regaining control of her jet, she spun the throttle, and the jet soared up above the city once again. Astro threw her hands up in the air, celebrating her success, while Nepgear and Rom were left dizzy in their seats, their heads still spinning from the wild ride.

"Ugh…" Rom put a hand to her mouth. She looked like she was about to be sick.

"N-Next time...Never again..." Nepgear stuttered, in a shaky voice.

"Augh! That's it?" Ram whined.

"Looks like you're back in control, Astro." Zappa chimed in through her radio, as her boomerang-shaped jet caught up to them. "What happened?"

"Uh, just a minor technical issue!" Astro sweatdropped.

"Minor issue?! You were this close to crash-landing into a crowded street."

"C-Come on!" She blushed. "Let's go back to our team already."

"Fine." Zappa scoffed, and started leading their jet back.

* * *

"Alright! I think that's all of them!" Galaxa shouted.

The pursuing jets were either retreating or in pieces, and the air was finally clear. Uni fired a few more shots at the escaping aircrafts, before Estella gestured for her to hand over the controller.

"That's enough, Uni." Estella said. "Great job! Your accuracy is top-notch."

"No problem." She bragged. "Shooting guns is what I lived for."

"Heh, sure you do."

"Did I miss anything?" Astro's voice came through the speaker.

"Yeah, a lot." Galaxa sighed.

"Her jet went haywire, because she didn't know that an auto-pilot mode exists." Zappa said.

"H-Hey! All's well that ends well, right?"

"How about my friends?" Uni asked. "Are they doing okay?"

"We're fine!" Ram's cheerful voice chimed in. "It was really fun!"

"I-I see..."

"Well girls, we're clear. Time to leave." Estella stated. "Now, these jets are gone, but it's best if we—"

"Look out!"

A barrage of bullets suddenly exploded out of nowhere. The rangers' jets scattered in time, and dodged most of the hits, but some still struck Estella's jet in a cacophony of sharp bangs.

"Dang it!" Estella yelled into the radio. "What's that?!"

"Unidentified target at 6°clock." Zappa informed her.

A large non-humanoid shape was hovering in the distance, getting closer and closer to their jets, and a grave realization struck them as they heard the furious screams coming from that direction.

"How dare you do that to my Abby?! _How dare you!_"

C-Grass was back, now sitting inside the cockpit of her mecha. Most of the plating on its chest was charred and melted by the blast, though the mecha itself was still functional enough to fly.

"Be careful! CPU C-Grass is now in pursuit against us!" Estella warned.

"Oh yes, be _careful_!" C-Grass retorted, before the machine-gun turrets on the mecha unleashed another hail of bullets.

Dodging the bullets was easy enough—it was more of a hassle than a challenge, especially with the gun's short range. Both Zappa and Galaxa maneuvered their jets around the mecha, attempting to flank it and pin it between them.

"Lieutenant Zappa, let's fire at it together!" Galaxa suggested.

"I'm on it."

Both jets' turrets came to life, unleashing a fiery wave of projectiles towards the mecha. C-Grass and her mecha managed to evade their attacks, however, and the few shots that did connect with the mecha just bounced off its plating.

"Her mecha's hull is too durable! Our shots can't get through!"

"Hah!" C-Grass mocked, "What's that, throwing pebbles at me? Idiots! Taste this!"

The mecha switched to the autocannons on its shoulders, and the heavy artillery blasted through the air, leaving a trail of smoke behind. Its firing rate was slow, but each shot exploded into shrapnels in midair, showering their jets with a rain of deadly fragments.

"Look out!" warned Estelle, as her jet wobbled at the impact.

"Woah!" Astro yelled, followed by multiple loud clangs, coming through the radio. "That's a close one!"

Despite their best attempts to evade the shrapnels, the blasts had still wreaked havoc on their jets. Galaxa's ship had large chunks of its paint scratched off, exposing the bare metallic surface beneath, while the hull of Zappa's ship was full of dents, and Uni could not see Astro's jet through the cracked glass panes around their cockpit.

"This is bad..." Zappa mumbled, "Our ships will be slowly torn apart, if we don't find a way to deal with these cannons!"

"Just get me back to the turrets!" Uni turned to Estella. "I'll blast that thing apart!"

"Copy that, Uni." The major nodded, and typed a command into her HUD, "Reactivating the manually-controlled turrets."

Grabbing the controller, Uni adjusted the turrets' trajectory until they were aiming directly at the mecha's cockpit. She clutched the lever tightly, as she prepared to fire another round of blast at the CPU.

"Take this!"

The turrets lit up in a blaze, pouring all their ammunitions onto the mecha's cockpit in a few seconds. None of them could penetrate the tough, durable glass around the cockpit, however, and the mecha wrapped its arms around the cockpit, shielding the CPU from the blast.

"Tch, stupid idiots..." She growled.

The mecha's shoulder cannon extended once again, and its barrel rotated to a lower position. It seemed to be aiming at the underside of the jet, and soon, a bright light flared up, followed by another wave of shrapnels.

"G-Gah!" Uni reeled back, almost dropping the controller as the entire jet shook from the impact of the explosion. "What happened?!"

"We got hit!" Estella exclaimed, before she started typing furiously on her HUD. "Most of our turrets are down! Our engine might not hold up any longer!"

"W-What?!"

"I'll provide cover while I can." Galaxa reassured them, and charged straight at the mecha, unleashing all her ammunitions onto it.

"Hah! Nice try!" C-Grass mocked, as the projectiles bounced off her mecha's hull. "Let me show you what a _real_ blast looks like!

The mecha switched back to its machine gun turrets, right when the jet approached it, and caught the ranger's jet in a storm of bullets, shredding most of its outer hull before Galaxa ducked out of her view.

"D-Dang! That's a lot of them!"

"Haha! Look at you! Not so tough now, are you? You think you can stand a chance against my greatest creation?"

"No," Galaxa responded, "but she can."

"What?" The girls exclaimed simultaneously, through their radios.

"Who?" C-Grass was glancing around, when a sudden yell came from behind her.

"Incoming!"

Astro's jet darted through the air like a shooting star, striking C-Grass and her mecha. Its arms were embedded into the jet's hull from the impact, and the mecha was dragged through the air as the jet flew across the city skyline. Astro prepared another shot with her front laser turret, now pressing against the mecha at a point-blank range, and C-Grass's eyes widened in panic at the sight.

"W-Wait!"

"Have a nice day, Lady C-Grass!" Astro snickered, before she pulled the trigger.

The cyan laser beams hit the mecha, and exploded in a flash of blinding light, slamming it into the ground below. It tumbled through the public road, leaving a trail of broken asphalt in its path, before finally grinding to a halt.

"Yes!" Astro yelled in excitement, as she watched the still form of the mecha, lying on the road. "Guess all that accidental bumpings against other ships and buildings had finally paid off!"

"Yeah!" Ram cheered after her.

"Y-You're crazy!" Nepgear exclaimed, as she unbuckled her seat belts with trembling hands. "First, you nearly crashed us into the ground, and the next moment, you're ramming into someone with a jet. You could've killed us!"

"Hey, that first one is an accident," she shrugged. "And this jet is strong enough to survive the impact. Sucks that I'll have to repaint it, but hey, at least we're alive!"

"N-Nepgear..." Rom cried, as she ran out of her seat, and grabbed onto Nepgear arm. "I w-wanna go home..."

"Astro, you complete maniac!" Estella barged in through the radio. "What in the world are you thinking? Doing _that _while our guests are inside your ship?!"

"Hey, don't shout at me like that. It was Galaxa's idea to use the jet like a battering ram."

"Galaxa?!"

"I'm sorry, major Estella," she apologized. "It's pretty much the only way to deal with her. Our guns aren't strong enough to pierce through her big toy, after all..."

Estella sighed in disappointment, not really happy with what their fellow rangers' reckless method, despite it being an effective solution in the end. She took a deep breath, before picking up her radio again.

"Fine..." she sighed. "But you better not do it again, while there are guests aboard your ship."

"Ay." Astro replied.

"Let's get out of here, as soon as possible." Zappa suggested, "We might be in danger once she recovers, and calls for backup."

"Copy that, Lieutenant Zappa. All rangers, set your coordinates to Tari. We'll regroup over there, once the heat has died down."

The jets flew away in a tight formation. The girls were smiling, as they watched Balarch's skyscrapers disappear behind the horizon, against the light of the setting sun, rejoicing in their first victory against the CPU. Still, they had the feeling that it was not over, yet.

* * *

_\- Intellastion_

Both Nakayama and Sylvania had made their way onto the streets, engaged in a fierce battle. Nakayama kept throwing her decks of cards against her opponent, getting more reckless with each flick of her wrist, while Sylvania retaliated with a barrage of exploding orbs, spawned from the twin crystals in her palms.

She brushed her short, blueish-black bangs aside, and shot down another incoming rune card before it could reach her. The resulting shockwave still caused her long wooly jacket to fly up, swinging behind her like a cape, and her glasses were almost knocked off her face.

Nearby pedestrians were ducking for cover, as the street devolved into total chaos. If they looked up, amidst the explosions and the smoke, they would see two girls standing right in the center of this fierce fight, trapped within an invisible magical barrier.

"Look at them!" Neptune pressed her face against the barrier. "It's like watching a snowball fight, but with explosions!"

"Nep, knock it off! We have to get out of here!" Noire replied, as she made another kick against the magical barrier. "There's gotta be a weak spot in this thing..."

"Alright, I'll help!"

Neptune joined Noire in her relentless assault against the barrier. The card's magic kept it intact, and they were definitely not strong enough to break through the barrier with raw strength, especially without the Hypercube—but that was the only thing they could try, right now.

While the pair was planning their escape, the two CPUs were still throwing their explosive cards and orbs back and forth, without any of them hitting their intended targets. It went on in a loop, until the Intellastion's CPU decided to end it by charging toward her opponent, her hovering twin crystals out and ready.

"Oh no you don't!" Nakayama sneered.

She casted another barrier in front of her, and her opponent's attack did not reach her, at all—the impact was completely absorbed by the barrier. Sylvania continued to push against the invisible field, but she was clearly struggling to hold it back.

"What's wrong with you today? Causing a ruckus around my nation for no reason?" Sylvania snarked, "and why did you suddenly attack my civilians?"

"None of your business!"

Nakayama added another card to the barrier, and doubled down on her assault. Sylvania's arms were starting to tremble, as the barrier slowly pushed her back, until she caught sight of a certain brown cube, glowing amidst the rubbles.

"I-Is that..?"

"Don't even think about it!" Nakayama immediately threw an explosive card towards her opponent, causing her to fall back onto the ground, before she went after the Hypercube.

She dashed towards the Hypercube, and was about to grab it when Sylvania stood back up, and summoned another chain of exploding energy orbs from her crystals. This time, it was a successful strike. Nakayama gasped in pain as she was slammed into a wall by the explosion, but the Hypercube was also knocked out of her hands.

"Hey! I found it first, it should be mine!" Sylvania exclaimed, before she also darted after the cube.

She did get her hands on the Hypercube, but not for long. Another exploding card came flying at her, and struck her right in the face, causing her to let go of the Hypercube. It flew through the air, hit another invisible barrier, and fell onto the ground—right in front Neptune and Noire.

"Wow! I didn't know that would happen." Neptune's eyes lit up at the sight of the cube.

"Great!" Noire yelled, and started banging on the barrier with her fists. "Come on! Little cubey, get us out of here!"

The Hypercube let out a joyful chime as it hovered into the air, and smashed itself against the barrier, breaking it in an instant. Noire caught the cube in her hands, and the battlefield was suddenly engulfed in a blinding flash of light.

"What just happened?!" Sylvania yelled, as she held up her arms in front of her face, shielding her eyes from the light. It soon faded away, and when Neptune looked up, she saw her friend standing in front of her, in her Black Heart form.

"Finally. It's my turn to fight back!" Black Heart smirked, before summoning her giant sword, and switching into a battle stance.

"Wait, what?!" Sylvania rubbed her eyes. "Who's this random girl? And what did the cube do to her?"

"Tch, not again..." Nakayama growled. "Just hand over the Hypercube, and I'll leave you alone! This is my last warning!"

"Why should I?" Black Heart shook her head. "Obviously I won't let you two get your hands on the Hypercube."

"Then you left me no choice."

Another flare of light engulfed Nakayama's body, followed by Sylvania, and when the light was gone, their clothings was replaced by tight jumpsuits. Nakayama's suit was light purple, while Sylvania's were grayish black. More rune cards were hovering around the former, and the latter's twin crystals became a lot bigger, with a colorful light pulsating within them.

She was going to fight two CPUs at once, now—Black Heart gulped at the realization.

"CPU Grey Heart is here! You're going to regret your decision to fight!" Sylvania taunted.

"Try me..." Black Heart gritted her teeth. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead, but she still held her stance, unwilling to show any signs of weakness.

"Hand over the Hypercube, right now!" Nakayama—now Lilac Heart—barked, and flung an entire row of cards against her.

Black Heart swiftly dodged her attack, before multiple exploding orbs struck her in the back, causing her to lose her balance and tumble through the street.

"Tchh..." Black Heart's face scrunched up in pain, as she steadied herself. "Of course you two would be teaming up against me."

"Noire!" Neptune ran towards her. "I'll help you out!"

"No way!" Black Heart held up a hand. "You'll only get yourself killed. You don't have your powers back, so let me handle this on my own. Just run."

"B-But!"

"Just run!" She screamed.

Neptune hesitated, unsure if she should listen to her friend. Finally, she shot one last glance at Black Heart, and gave her a small nod, before she turned away, and started running in the opposite direction. Black Heart had a solemn smile on her face, as she turned back to face the two CPUs, now united in a temporary alliance.

"You want it? Then come and get it!" Black Heart boasted, raised her sword, and charged straight at them.

* * *

_\- Hideout_

"Here we are! Behold, the greatest armory in the entire Gamindustri!"

The first thing the pair saw, after Duchess opened the vault door, was an array of shelves. Glancing around the gigantic room, they were amazed by the amount and variety of guns that were stockpiled all over the place. Fancy rifles adorn the shelves, and smaller handguns were placed on a giant table in neat rows, while the glass cabinets were packed to the brim with ammunition clips and magazines. For a few seconds, Linda and Warechu just stood there, mouth agape and completely speechless.

"This entire room is like a treasure cove, chu." Warechu finally broke the silence.

"You sure have a lot of guns lying around here." Linda turned to Duchess. "Do you really need all of them?"

"Well, what do ya' know? You can never have enough guns. The more the merrier." She shrugged. "Our buddy here has hoarded a ton of rifles and firearms over the years, more than we could ever use for the heist!"

"And who's that?"

"Look to your left." She pointed towards a pile of bullets, and the pair could see an absurdly large rifle lying at the top. "That's Erich's favorite toy, Maschinengewehr 42. I just call it MG-42, since that long name is nothing but a headache..."

"That gun is huge, chu..."

"That's right, but she ain't gonna be bothered 'bout that." Duchess said, "She _loves_ to carry her fancy rifle to every heist. You ain't gonna believe how much she loved to shred the hell out of her foes with it, while laughing like a maniac!"

"So you're telling me that she's a complete psychopath." Linda responded with a deadpan expression.

"Eh, kinda. But hey, from what I've seen, you're just as psychotic as she is."

"Don't compare me to that freak!" Linda barked. "Like I'd ever let that stupid brat boss me around."

"Jeez, at least have some respect, chu..." Warechu muttered.

"You're one to talk! Who dragged us into this stupid heist, huh?" She retorted.

"Hey." Duchess poked her on the shoulder. "If you ain't gonna listen to Erich, then I guess I'll have to be the one bossing you around."

"Oh come on, really?!"

"Of course. We have equal authority, since we're the ones who built this gang from the ground up."

"Huh, really?" Linda scoffed. "I still don't understand how you two manage to get along, with all these shenanigans."

"It's a long story, but don't ya' think we're getting a bit too personal right now?"

"Fine! Where's the next stop?"

"Right, right! Follow me!" Duchess nodded.

The sheer amount of firearms scattered across the floor had proven to be a hassle to their little tour. While Duchess was putting the guns back onto the shelves, Warechu decided to take a shortcut and crawl under the table—and that was when he stumbled upon a short-barrelled shotgun, with a white, glossy cross necklace wrapped around its handle.

"Huh? What's this, chu?" Warechu grabbed the shotgun, before crawling back out from under the table.

"What's what?" Duchess turned back, confused, until she caught sight of the firearm. "Oh, That! Flynn has been looking for it for days."

"This, chu?"

"Yeah." She nodded, as the rat handed over the shotgun to her. "This little fella over here? She treasures it more than her life. In fact, she doesn't want any of us to touch her little gun. She'd probably throw a hissy fit if that happened."

"And what's with the cross?" Linda pointed to the necklace.

"Eh, no idea. She never told us anything 'bout the necklace. Last time I asked, she just gave me the cold shoulder."

"Wow, what a surprise..," Linda mumbled.

"I know you think that she's just a quiet, creepy nun. Well, to be honest, I thought the same, when I first met her. But believe me, there's more to her, behind her grouchy face and blank stares."

"Okay then." Linda nodded. "So, the tour?"

"Yeah, sure." Duchess gestured for them to follow. "Right this way, my fellow minions."

"...Minions? Really?" The delinquent gave her an unhappy glare.

After a long walk—mostly because they kept slowing down for a chat, Duchess finally stopped in front of one of the shelves. She picked up a pistol, together with its ammunitions, and handed it over to Linda.

"You want a sidearm, right?" Duchess said. "Then take this. This pistol is a lot cooler than its ordinary brethrens, so treat it with care."

Linda eyed the pistol carefully, as she gave it a few waves. It was coated in dark gray paint, with shallow lines carved around its handle. By all means, it looked quite mundane and plain.

"Glock .17, baby." Duchess smiled. "Ain't the most powerful, but hey, this bad boy here can shoot. I could pick up a better one later, with more blasting power and a golden paint job, but that'd take too long."

"Out of all the guns you got, this is the one you're giving me?" Linda groaned.

"Ey, you're still a newbie, so suck it up. You gotta' earn your reps, ay~?" Duchess responded with a smirk.

"Fine! Whatever!"

Linda grudgingly nodded as she stuffed the pistol into the pocket of her jacket, still looking quite disgruntled.

"Great." Linda said, "This better be enough for whatever we're facing."

"Hey, we're the A-Squad, after all." Duchess gave her a thumbs-up. "Every gals around here have their own guns to toy with, and I can assure you, you'd be having a blast with it in no time!"

While Linda was still trying to get a grip on her new pistol, the door of the vault opened with a thud, revealing a familiar blonde figure.

"Ah, Gordea." Duchess smiled. "Restocking parts again, huh?"

"Duh." She waved at Duchess. "I thought there should be enough parts in my pocket for the tinkering. Apparently, no. So I have to pick some up again."

"Cool. These newbies still need some training, and I'll talk to you later."

"Newbies?" Linda glared at her, irritated by the nickname. "You know I have the guts to face you head-on, right?"

"Ehh, sure." Duchess shrugged. "But you ain't strong enough to beat me, in the end. My point still stands."

"Fine, fine..." Linda scoffed.

"What's going on?"

Hearing the soft voice, they turned back, and saw Flynn standing behind them, like she had just materialized out of thin air. She was staring at them, carrying multiple bags in her arms.

"Yo, Flynn!" Duchess called out to her, and held the shotgun up in the air. "Guess what we've found?"

"That's my..."

"Yup, that's right! Warechu here found what you've been looking for, in the past few days-"

"Give it back!" The nun shrieked. She immediately snatched the shotgun away, and clutched it tightly against her chest, like it was a newborn baby.

"Woah!" Duchess took a step back. "What's with you and that gun?"

"You're not going to thank me, chu?" Warechu waved at her, which was met with a murderous glare that quickly sent him scurrying behind Linda.

"Hey! You really should thank him, for finding that stupid gun!" Linda jabbed her finger at the nun.

"No." Flynn replied flatly.

"C'mon Flynn, can't you be a little nicer to these newbies?" Duchess smiled, as she put a hand on Flynn's shoulder, "After all, you'd be looking for it forever, if they haven't found it."

"Yeah, cut them some slack, will ya', Flynn?" Gordea also chimed in.

The nun looked a little annoyed that her teammates were also taking the side of their new recruits. After a long silence, she sighed, and spared a single glance at the pair before averting her gaze, still pouting in dismay.

"Fine. Thanks."

"No problem. We accept your thanks." Linda replied, and her rat companion sighed in relief.

"That's the spirit!" Duchess cheered, as she nudged Flynn in the shoulder. "Now you're getting the hang of it!"

"Shut up." The nun gave her a sullen glare. "I'll be going home now. There's something I need to do."

"Oh? What's that?" Linda asked, which earned another frigid look from her.

"None of your business..."

She stormed out of the armory with her shotgun in her arms, tossing the bags aside before she shut the door. Duchess and Gordea were left staring at the gate, together with the pair, until the tinkerer decided to break the silence.

"Here goes Flynn..." Gordea mumbled. "Doing her usual stuff again..."

"What the hell is she up to, now?" Linda frowned.

"I don't know, maybe something personal. That's how she goes about her day, I guess."

"Really, chu?" Warechu pondered, before turning to Linda. "Well, what do you think?"

"As if I care." The delinquent groaned. "I don't even know that lady. Come on! Are we done here or not?"

"Actually, we were. For a while, now." Duchess shrugged. "We only came here to give you the pistol, and that's it."

"Then why don't you just say so?" The delinquent huffed in irritation, which earned a chuckle from Duchess.

"Don't worry! You'll have plenty of time to play around with your new toy!" She assured Linda. "We've built a little playground around here, just to test them out."

"A playground?"

"That's right! Not for kiddie stuff, though..." Duchess shook her head. "It's just a place packed with plain dummy targets. But hey, you could use some practice, being the newbie in our team of die-hard shooters!"

"Stop calling me a newbie!" Linda glared at her. "Just 'cause I'm bad with guns, doesn't mean I'll be bad at everything else! Remember that one time that I almost beat you up?"

"W-Wait..." Gordea stuttered, "You've challenged her to a fight?!"

"She didn't win, mind you~!" Duchess added, with a huge grin on her face, "But unlike some random jackasses who are nothing more than a hassle, she can actually fight against me like a budding badass."

"That's right, chu." Warechu nodded. "Linda can pick a fight against almost anyone. Even CPUs, chu."

The throwaway comment was met with a loud gasp from the pair. Gordea's jaw dropped in shock, and Duchess was rendered completely speechless for a moment, before she started hollering like mad.

"Y-You fought a CPU? All by yourself?!" Gordea exclaimed.

"Oooh~! If it's true, then you're really something special, girl!" Duchess, after she finished laughing, gave her a thumbs-up.

"What?" Linda scoffed. "Technically, I've only beaten up some CPU Candidates. Have you never ever gotten on the bad side of those CPUs?"

"Of course we do~! But their power is too nasty for our raw strength to match, and we can't really face them in a one-on-one battle, even as the biggest, baddest baddies in Gamindustri." Duchess replied.

"Pretty much no one wants to fight directly against the CPUs. Even though you've only fought their Candidates, I guess it's still an achievement."

"How's so, chu?"

"Uhh, let me pick up a piece of paper and a pen first~!" Duchess smiled, before she started rummaging through the shelves, sending papers and objects flying all over the place.

"Duchess! You're making a mess again!" Gordea complained, as she began to clean up after her companion.

"Aha! Found it!" Duchess cheered, before she sat down on a chair next to Linda, and started doodling on the paper. "So uh, about your question—why does no one want to fight CPUs?"

"First, we all know CPUs have divine power. Too much of a problem to take care of, even with me racking up the blasts!"

"What blasts?" Linda asked, bewildered by her seemingly nonsensical descriptions. The drawing did not help—all she could see was a tangled mess of lines, scribbled around a really angry looking stick figure.

"Basically, her rockets." Gordea explained, looked a little unsettled. "I...still don't think it's a good idea, to tear those down from Tari's weapons of mass destruction and stuff them into your regular firearms."

"Nah, no worries." Duchess gave her a half-hearted wave. "Their military is long dead, before we've even begun our first heist in town. No one'll miss them."

"Well, that's true. But what if there's an accident?"

"No worries, no worries~!" She assured, in a sing-song voice. "I got them under control."

"I-I see..."

"Well then, aside from that..." Duchess looked back to the paper, and drew a few more stick figures wearing shades. "Most gangs in the criminal underworld? They ain't gonna have the guts to show their faces in front of any CPUs. Not even a Candidate."

"How about you, chu?" asked Warechu, "Are you good enough to take them head-on?"

"Of course, if we're in a team!" She nodded. "I'm a bit of a lone wolf, but even I ain't going solo against a literal goddess."

"Huh, at least you're being honest." Linda said.

"Ain't like fighting Goddesses is a juicy trend around 'ere. Most would be cowering and begging for their lives, at the mere sight of one." She chuckled. "Now c'mon! How about we go wreak some havoc with our guns?"

"Sure." The delinquent shrugged.

"I'll see you around, Duchess." Gordea waved at them as they passed by, before going back to pick parts off the shelves.

The pair said their farewell, too, before they went out of the door, leaving the tinkerer alone inside the armory, still scavenging around the piles of gun parts—until the door slid open with a thud, and another figure barged into the vault.

"Why ze hell are you here?" Erich frowned, as they made eye contact with each other.

"Grabbing something I need for my fancy inventions. That's all." Gordea smiled.

"Ah, zat's what you're doing, huh." Erich nodded, before she started to stroll through the armory. "Now, where ze hell are Duchess and those punks at?"

"Oh, they left here a minute ago." She informed Erich. "Duchess was giving them a tour. I think she's gonna help your lookalike get a grip on her gun."

"Typical trash-talking punk..." Erich scoffed. "And did they touch ze glorious Maschinengewehr 45 zat I treasure dearly, while they were in here?"

"Eh, not sure. Not like I've seen them going near it." The tinkerer responded with a shrug.

"Ugh, fine. They better not..." Erich groaned, before she picked her beloved gun, and started to caress the iron barrel of her machine gun with an uncharacteristic gentleness. "...You know, this gun ist ze wunderbar craft of mein fellow companions, back in ze old days."

"Huh, that gun really means alot to you, isn't it?" Gordea shot her a curious glance.

"Ja." smiled Erich, "It's ze only valuable thing left, from ze old days. I ain't sharing ze whole story with you, but ze point ist, Maschinengewehr 45 reminds me of mein old peers."

"I see. Guess you still have a soft side, even for a psychopath." Gordea chuckled, and nudged her in the back. "Makes me really think, huh?"

"Bah! I'm ze Feldmarschall for a reason." Erich responded with a rough nudge of her own and a hearty laugh. "If mein fellow peers like to go out in a blaze, then I'll do ze same. Shredding things with bullets is ze heart of mein life."

* * *

"Here we are, gals!" Duchess announced. "Welcome to the finest training ground of A-Squad!"

They were in front of a large cavern, barely lit by fluorescent lights. Despite her dramatic introduction, it appeared to be a simple training area, with several barriers erected around a group of decorated wooden dummies. The tables nearby were littered with ammunitions and food wrappers.

"Jeez, so much for the _finest _training ground of A-Squad..." Linda's voice was reeking with sarcasm.

"C'mon, you know I like to give people some laughs, right?" Duchess winked at her. "Beside, this is where the real fun begins!"

"Shooting wooden dummies with a gun? That's your idea of fun?"

"Nah. Not yet. You just need to spice it up a little..." Duchess smirked.

She picked up a phone from her pocket, and started typing something, while the pair looked on, confused.

"Uh, what are you doing, chu?"

"Nothing. Just getting the party started."

She put the phone back into her pocket, after she finished typing, and the ground suddenly began to shake. Duchess merely chuckled as the pair let out a surprised yelp, struggling to maintain their balance on the trembling ground.

"What the hell is going on?!" Linda yelled.

The ground below them was sinking into a hole, revealing a high stone wall that encircled them, before multiple stone walls suddenly rose out of the ground, blocking off their views. The pair looked up, and saw Duchess standing above the towering wall, glancing down at them.

"Welcome to the maze!" Duchess stretched out her arms. "This is how we train ourselves to become the baddest baddies! It's a good thing that the system's still running, considering that it hasn't been used in quite a while."

"Who would build a training ground like this, chu?!"

"Gordea, of course." She answered. "I used to hang around 'ere a lot, blasting dummy aliens to pieces. Ranger prefers dummy monsters, and Flynn...well, the way she treated those dummy demons, like they were the real thing? Kinda weirds me out."

"So what are we trying to do here? I thought it was just training?!" Linda asked, as she started pacing around impatiently.

"It is!" she smiled, "Imagine yourself, separated from your mates, lost in the middle of nowhere, only to be surrounded by a bunch of freak-shows. What's your plan?"

"I don't know, find a way to escape?"

"Bingo!" Duchess cheered, "You're a quick learner! Now, you have your trusty pistol in your sleeves, or your trusty iron pipe on your back—whatever you run into, just don't hold back! I'll be watching you two from up here. And besides, they're just dummy targets. It's not like they can hurt you."

"Jeez, thanks." Linda mumbled. "That's real helpful to your newbies, huh..."

Now trapped inside the maze, she started walking, with Warechu at her side, her sidearm out and ready as she peeked around a corner. She saw a group of dummies, coated in white paint and holding what seemed to be fake rifles.

"Really?" Linda gave Duchess an unimpressed look, and was met with a playful wink.

"Well, we can just walk past them, chu." Warechu suggested, and started moving towards the dummies.

Just as he walked in front of them, the dummies suddenly burst into motion, which caught the pair by complete surprise. The rifles in their hands turned out to be real, and the dummies fired a rain of bullets towards them, forcing them to immediately duck down and retreat behind the stone wall.

"W-Wha?!" The rat screeched, as a bullet narrowly whizzed past his ear.

"What the hell?!" Linda glared at Duchess. "I thought they're just dummies?! You said they can't hurt us!"

"Yes. But I never say they can't _kill_ you. Killing you is different from hurting you, after all~" She teased.

"Ugh! You stupid punk! After I'm done with this stupid maze game, I'm going to bash your skull in!" Linda shrieked.

Fuming with anger, she dashed out from behind the wall, and unleashed a barrage of wild shots with her sidearm as she ran past the dummies. The first few shots missed their targets, but her last shot did strike a dummy in the chest, causing it to fall to the ground in a heap.

"Eh, not too bad. You really need to work on your aiming, though." Duchess applauded.

"Shut up, you stupid punk!" Linda retorted, before bashing another dummy in the head, with the iron pipe in her other hand.

"Just chillax, Linda girl! I know you ain't feeling it, yet, but at least you should look out for yourself."

"You aren't helping here!"

"Linda, calm down, chu!" Warechu squealed at her, after another shot from Linda's pistol bounced off a nearby wall, and almost struck him in the face. "Just ignore that chump, and focus on finding a way out!"

"Ugh, fine! I've had enough with this stupid gun!" The delinquent groaned, before tossing her sidearm to her rat companion. "You'll do the shooting, while I do the bashing, as we move out of this maze."

"But I can't shoot, chu..." Warechu stuttered, still struggling to get a proper grip on the pistol with his tiny paws.

"Whatever! Just help me out here! I can't fight properly with that stupid gun dragging me down."

"Fine, chu..."

With a sigh, he followed the angry delinquent, and the pair wandered deeper into the maze, holding their weapons carefully and carefully glancing around the corners for lurking dummies as they moved around the labyrinth.

Duchess sat down on the wall, watching over the two new recruits as they wandered around the hollow maze, her expression getting more bored and restless with each passing second.

"Ugh..." She finally let out a groan, and threw her hands up in the air. "C'mon! Show some energy, will ya'? How 'bout charging in and blasting the dummies to pulps, rather than playing it safe?"

"What's going on here?" A voice came from behind Duchess.

"Ah, Ranger!" She turned around, with a smile on her face. "You're just in time! Ready to see our fellas here put up a show for us?"

"Uh, sure..?" Ranger replied as she approached the wall, and sat down beside Duchess.

Below them, chaos ensued as Linda charged at another group of dummies, beating them down in a maniacal burst of rage, while Warechu fumbled with the pistol, struggling to aim the weapon at the dummies without dropping it. The delinquent let out a colorful stream of curses, most of them directed at Duchess, and Ranger winced a little at her language, while Duchess responded with a knowing smirk.

"Duchess, you stupid, stupid punk!" Linda screamed, as she violently bashed another foe in the head. "I'll make sure that you regret ever meeting me, when I get outta' here!"

"Wow. Now she really hates your guts, for some reason. What happened between you two, while I was gone?" Ranger sweatdropped.

"Nah, don't worry about it." Duchess shrugged. "Linda girl would get used to it."

"I-I see.." Ranger let out an awkward chuckle. "So yeah, I haven't seen this good ol' arena being operational since, I dunno, a long time ago?"

"Hey, using it to train our fellow recruits is a tradition. After all, we've all honed our skills here."

"Well, we aren't going to leave this relic rusting any longer, I guess." Ranger nodded.

* * *

After another brutal fight against a group of dummies, both of them were panting in exhaustion. Linda wiped the sweat off her face, before strapping the pipe back onto her back.

"Ughh...My arms hurt, chu..." Warechu whined, his paws still trembling from the recoil of the last few shots.

"Fine, just hand it over to me." The delinquent groaned, and snatched the pistol back from her rat companion. "How the hell are we gonna get out of here? That stupid punk is just chit-chatting with Ranger, now! She won't even talk to us!"

"Not like I know how, chu." Warechu shook his head. "There sure are a lot of corners around this maze..."

"Yeah, great." The delinquent sneered. "Just stick close to me. Let me know when you find something interesting."

Warechu nodded in agreement, and the pair continued their walk through the unknown maze. Many torches were hanging on the cold stone walls, and they followed the trail of tiny flames, hoping that the light sources would lead them to some kind of exits that signalled the end of this hellish training session. Shrill cries and roars could be heard in the distance, probably from some kind of freaky dummies they would soon run into.

"I never should've accepted this stupid deal..." Linda facepalmed.

* * *

"You sure this is a great idea?" Ranger frowned. "You just hired them, and threw them into a deadly maze for 'training'. They could've gotten hurt real bad."

"Hey, you aren't gonna believe how I met them." Duchess laughed. "They ain't some random jackasses that only work for cheap, easy credits."

"If you say so..." Ranger sighed. "Whatever they're capable of—I know they've beaten the cops, but this whole thing still feels forced. I hope you know what you're doing."

"Have some faith in me, will ya?" Duchess nudged her on the shoulder. "I've seen what they're good at. I absolutely have my reason to believe that they're extraordinary, ey?"

"Extraordinary, as in, better than us?" Ranger tilted her head. "I don't get your wordings."

"I'll always be who I am~!" She winked. "Sheesh, they're so slow. Would ya' please bring us a drink, or a bag of popcorn, while this little show is going on?"

"Ay, ay, Duchess." Ranger nodded. "I think we have some, back at the dining area."

"Good!" She smiled, and leaned back towards the edge of the wall. "While you go get the snacks, I'll be keeping an eye on 'em."

"Yeah, yeah, sure."

* * *

After venturing through layers and layers of dungeon-like maze, the surrounding shifted into some kind of grotesque gothic structures. Skulls and bones were scattered across the ground, and the delinquent merely scoffed at the bones, before stepping right over them—probably just some decorations, used to scare them off.

"This part of the maze really looks frightening, chu..." Warechu was shaking, as he glanced around in the dim light.

"Come on, these aren't even real corpses. That punk thinks she can scare us with some shoddy fakes?" The delinquent shot an annoyed look at her companion.

Their footsteps echoed through the hallway as they ventured further into the new area, until they stumbled upon another dummy. This one was different from the rifle-wielding dummies, however, with armor pieces strapped onto its body, and a rusty giant axe in its hands.

The armored dummy let out a bloodcurdling roar, and banged on its chestplate with the axe, before charging straight at them, growling like an actual barbarian.

"Heh..." Linda had a vicious smirk on her face, as she slowly drew her iron pipe. "You want some beatings? Then I'll give it to ya'!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

So yeah, I didn't expect this chapter to take two weeks likely. Having some time to relax a bit before I came back. Another chapter is done, proceeding to the next 10th chapter in which would become a milestone in my writing passionately.

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreader & Editor


	10. Game-Breaking Glitch

A blizzard was starting to brew, as the group traversed through the deep snow, led by Namco. Fortunately, they soon saw a warehouse in the middle of the forest, through the endless waves of snowflakes that were raining down on them.

"C'mon, fellas!" Namco turned back, and called out to them. "Let's get inside already."

She moved towards the shutter gate of the warehouse, and lifted them up effortlessly, exposing the darkness beyond. Then, she gestured for them to come over.

"This place looks kinda abandoned, isn't it?" IF eyed the opening, with a vaguely unsettled look on her face.

"Eh, don't worry! We just haven't done much renovation during our work time."

After the last person entered the warehouse, Namco let go of the shutter gate, and it fell back onto the floor with a thud. Sir-Tech casted a glowing orb, which barely lit up the interior space, but they could still see numerous crates of various sizes lying around the floor, along with several old machines, covered in cobwebs.

With a click of the switch, a ray of light suddenly shone down from the ceiling, illuminating the entire room. Now they could see the metallic frames above them, corroded by rust and slowly crumbling apart, and the small cracks that were all over the concrete walls. A thin layer of snow could be seen on the floor, right beneath the cracked rooftop.

"Hmm." Sir-Tech pondered. "This place looks more like a hideout than a workshop."

"Hey!" An exasperated voice came from the other end of the room. "Who turned the lights on?! I'm taking a nap!"

A little girl slowly emerged from behind a crate, stretching her arms out in a huge yawn. Her long, gray hair came down to her shoulders, and her ripped jeans and undersized red top was almost a bit too scandalous for her age. Her spiked gloves, however, did give her a comical aura of toughness.

For the next few seconds, the girl just stared blankly at the group, before turning towards Namco, like she was expecting an explanation. Origin, Sir-Tech and Yokoi looked as confused as her, but IF and her friends recognized the girl at first glance.

"I-Is that...?"

"Ah, Tekken!" Namco smiled, reached out to the little girl, and lifted her up. "Sorry for ruining your beauty-sleep, my little karate master! We have a special guest today!"

"Huh? Who?" Tekken tilted her head, as she examined the group of strangers, before her eyes lit up at the sight of a familiar figure. "Ah! Lady Famika's little brother!"

"H-Huh?" the CPU Candidate stuttered, as the little girl ran up to him, and gave him a hug.

"Nice to meet you!" She smiled. "I'm Tekken! I've fought in many tournaments, back in Fusajiro Square! You know me, right?"

"U-Uh, no. I didn't join my big sis' to watch the fight..."

"Aww..." She whined, in a sad tone. "I really hope you could've seen me in action..."

"Wow! Tekken looks so cute!" Compa cooed.

"I can't believe Tekken would be so young in this dimension..." Blanc squinted at the little girl.

"My, what a cutie she is, indeed!" Vert clapped her hands. "Now, which one of them should I choose…?"

"Huh?" Tekken shot her a curious glance.

"Please don't, Thundertits." Blanc groaned. "Neither of them would be your little siblings, and we're not going to kidnap them from this damned dimension, just so you can act out your unhealthy fantasies."

"What dimension?" Namco's question was met with frantic headshakes and awkward laughter from the group.

"O-Oh, nothing!" Blanc chuckled. "It's only an in-joke."

"Ah, I see." Namco looked away, "And, yeah, I never thought that you would know my little girl here. Guess that should be expected, considering the huge crowd that shows up, every time she fights on stage! "

"Wait, your little girl?"

A loud clanking noise rang through the air, and the next moment, the shutter gate was slowly lifted up. Origin quickly drew her sword, while her wizard companion flipped open her tome, and with a small mutter, a fireball popped into existence.

IF unsheathed her katars, while Vert pulled Yokoi into her arms, and Blanc shifted into a combat stance besides them, despite being unarmed. The gate was fully open now, revealing the silhouette of another girl standing against the dim ray of the sun, her face obscured in the shadows.

As she moved a little closer, they could see her bright red twintails, plain white sailor uniform, and long stockings. The gate fell back down behind her, and she looked up—only to see several weapons pointed at her. Caught completely off-guard, she dropped the plastic bags in her hands, and the toys inside fell onto the lumpy snow.

"Stop right there!" Origin warned, her broadsword still out and ready. "What hath brought thee here? Hath thou comest to track us down, on behalf of Lowee's Goddess?!"

"W-Wait!" The girl held her arms up. "W-What's going here?! And why are you threatening me?!"

"No no no, gals!" Namco rushed forth, and gestured for them to lower their weapons. "Now, hold your horses, and calm down. She's my friend, not some sort of undercover samurai!"

She immediately approached the girl, and picked up the fallen toys, before giving her a gentle pat on the back. The rest of the group awkwardly sheathed their weapons and looked away, before Origin stepped forth, and made a deep bow.

"My apology! I am truly sorry for brandishing my sword before thee, in such a haste!"

"It's just a miscommunication, Origin. Calm down." Sir-Tech sighed, and her fireball dissipated away in an instant.

"Sorry for not giving you a head's up first, Bandai." Namco sighed. "Didn't expect them to be this...jittery."

"I-It's okay..." she sighed in relief, "But sheesh, what kind of guests you've brought here today, with their fancy magic and swords?!"

"Bandy!" Tekken gleefully smiled as she ran up to Bandai, and gave her a leaping hug.

"Hey, Tekken!" Bandai laughed, before putting the girl down. "How are you?

"Fine." She nodded. "Namco has brought back food! And friends!"

"Friends...?" Bandai repeated the word, with a skeptical look on her face.

"Don't worry, they aren't that bad. I have something more interesting to show you!"

Waving her arms in the air, Tekken guided her towards the group, and just as Bandai was glancing over the unfamiliar faces, Tekken pointed at a crate, and she saw the little face poking out behind it.

"Hold on. Sir Yokoi?" She frowned. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be together with Lady Famika?"

"Long story short, he did something that would infuriate his sister, once she found out." Blanc replied.

"And who are the rest of you again?"

"That's...also a long story."

"Don't worry, Bandai, I trust them." Namco assured her friend. "Even the young boy himself confirmed it."

"Okay? So, why did you bring them here?"

"They're wanted by the authorities. And I'm hiding them." Namco casually answered, and, seeing her companion's shocked expression, she added, "Uh, you're looking a little pale right now. Want a delicious fish to eat?"

"Namco..." Bandai mumbled quietly, before she dashed up to her friend, dragged her up by the collar, and shrieked into her ears. "Are. You. Crazy?! They are wanted criminals! You need more than a 'long story' to explain that!"

"E-Eh..." Namco nervously chuckled. "It's more—"

"Great! You're going to drag us into their messes, and put all of us in danger! What are you thinking?!"

"It's my fault..." Yokoi stammered, as he stepped forward. "I helped them escape, because I don't want my big sis to hurt them..."

"Wait, what? Why? Lady Famika has always been such a nice lady to everyone. She would never go that far in her punishments. Why do you think your own sister would hurt them?"

"Well..." He pointed to Blanc and Vert, "They are CPUs, and their friends were captured because of that..."

"W-What?!"

Bandai let go of Namco, and took a few steps back, staring at the two CPUs in wordless shock. Then, she turned towards her friend, and glared at her with a searing anger in her eyes.

"Not only did you bring a bunch of wanted criminals into our warehouse, but also foreign CPUs..."

"W-Wait! Hear me out!" Namco panicked, "I-I swear I didn't know some of them were actual Goddesses! I just thought they were some random strangers, trying to help the CPU Candidate!"

"We're not criminals!" IF shouted. "We were dragged into this situation, all because of a misunderstanding, and we're just trying to get out of Lowee right now!"

"Why are you trying to take Yokoi away from his older sister, then? Isn't that straight-up kidnapping?!"

"Like we said..." Blanc sighed. "He freed two CPUs, and we don't want anything bad happening to him, once she finds out."

"Same." Vert nodded. "It wouldn't turn out well for the poor little Candidate, if Famika caught him..."

"But she is his sister!" Bandai threw her hands up in the air. "She wouldn't do _that_ to her own younger sibling! I'm sure she isn't as terrible as you thought."

"Not trying to be biased...but...why do I feel like you're siding with Lady Famika?" Namco muttered.

"I'm telling you the truth!" Bandai retorted.

"Is there something wrong...?" Tekken cut in, with a puzzled look on her face.

The pair stopped their argument and turned towards Tekken. Bandai let out a deep sigh, and put a hand to her forehead, while Namco knelt down besides the little girl, and patted her on the head.

"Just a tiny disagreement between us. I'm sure that we'll solve it in no time."

"Okay! I wanna help, too!" Tekken responded with a huge grin.

"Hehe, it's probably not the right time for you to help." Bandai shook her head. "Let me and Namco handle this mess."

"Awww..." Tekken whined, looking a little sulky. "Fine!"

She ran back to her sleeping corner, earning multiple puzzled looks from the girls as she sprinted past them. Bandai took a few deep breaths, to regain her composure, before she turned towards the group.

"Alright..." She mumbled. "I'll help you, but only for Sir Yokoi's sake."

"Then welcome to the party, my fellow gal!" Namco cheered as she leaped forward, and caught her friend in a crushing hug, before she was hastily shoved away.

"Just cut to the chase!" Bandai groaned. "How are we going to bring them out of Lowee?"

"Well, good question!" Namco gave her a thumbs-up. "Now, let me explain the details of my masterplan."

* * *

"So, you want us to use our job to cover their escape?" Bandai raised an eyebrow, after hearing the whole plan.

"Exactly! They can wear our uniforms, and the guards will probably mistake them as random workers working for our frenzy delivery, carrying crates and boxes into the ship."

"What about Yokoi? Wouldn't they be able to recognize the CPU Candidate, even in disguise?"

"That's an easy one." Namco confidently replied. "We'll just put him inside the crate."

Sir-Tech and Origin gave her a funny look at that suggestion, while the others cringed uncomfortably, and Yokoi's expression was one of sheer disbelief and fright.

"W-What?!"

"What are you thinking, Namco?!" Bandai scolded her, as she gave her friend a pinch on the cheek. "You can't treat the CPU Candidate like some rabid animal. That's just disrespectful!"

"E-E-Ey! It's not like a cage or anything! stop that!"

Bandai finally let go of her, after a few more pained yelps, and Namco quickly scurried away from her, still caressing her reddened cheek.

"I never thought you would take Lady Blanc's words so seriously." Sir-Tech commented.

"Hey! What I'm saying is putting him inside, not _locking_ him inside! Besides, that's the only way we are going to sneak him out!"

"Well, if you say so..." Bandai sighed. "I sure hope she'd go easy on you, if you were caught..."

"What a dreadful state my virtues have fallen to..." Origin facepalmed. "Oh, Goddess, forgive me for my unknightly transgressions, in the name of Valor and Sacrifice..."

"It's okay, Miss Origin.." Yokoi gave her a pat on her metal armor. "Even if my big sis' won't forgive you, I'll forgive you instead!"

"Aww..." The knight smiled, as she knelt down before the CPU Candidate. "I shall cherish your Compassion, until the end of time, Sir Yokoi!"

"We're really sorry for dragging you into Lady Famika's affairs." Sir-Tech lowered her head, before letting out a sigh. "Maybe you should have left us in the dungeon, after all."

"Tch, yeah. Right." Blanc scowled, and Vert turned to her, looking a little more serious than usual.

"I understand that you still have a bone to grind with his sister. But please remember that he freed us, at the expense of his sister's trust. Don't be too hard on him."

"Fine, whatever..."

"You'll just be going through the regular work routines, while we carry him, and the crate, into the ship." Namco explained. "That way, it'll be a piece of cake to sneak under their radars!"

"But what about those guards? Won't they open the crate to check?" IF frowned.

"They aren't going to search through a crate full of toy figures." Bandai shrugged, though she did not look nearly as confident as her friend. "They rarely check the content of the imports and exports, once the paperwork is in order."

"I'm glad to hear that..." Vert heaved a sigh of relief. "It doesn't seem that dangerous, after all."

"Yeah, but since Lady Famika is involved, we better be as careful as possible. We don't want to get caught by her and her entire army."

"I agree." Sir-Tech nodded. "There's a possibility that Lady Famika might've told her men to double, or even triple the security, now that her brother is missing."

IF suddenly remembered something, and spoke up. "When are we going to escape?"

"At midnight." Bandai answered, "Not only will there be fewer guards during the night shift, but there are also fewer witnesses around. So hopefully, we won't run into much trouble."

"I kinda planned it to happen earlier, but that could work, too." Namco chuckled. "Oh goodness, I'm actually a little hyped for this..."

"Considering you've brought a bunch of wanted criminals home without a single thought? Geez, I wonder why." Bandai huffed, and looked away from her friend.

"Can we at least move on from that?" Namco pleaded.

"So, what should we do while we wait?" Compa raised her hand.

"Take a walk through our cozy little home, I guess, though there isn't really much to see," Namco said, "while munching on berries and waiting for my good cuisine on-the-making. Oh wait, you can play with those toys, too!"

"As long as you don't break them, of course," Bandai added. "We're distributors, after all, and we don't want to get into trouble with our fellow corporations."

"Okay!"

"I can't just sit around here, doing nothing," Sir-Tech sighed. "I need to go outside."

"Eh? My wise companion, what is so appealing about the freezing cold outside? Thou may get caught by her men, too!"

"I'm not straying _that_ far." Sir-Tech replied. "I have something important to do. It's for my...study."

"Uh..." The whole group gave her a weird look, unsure of what to say.

"Sure...?" IF broke the silence. "Just be careful."

"I will."

The gate opened in front of her, as if lifted by an invisible hand, and the moment she walked out, it fell back down with a loud thud. After exchanging a few confused mutters, the group shrugged, and went back to touring the warehouse—except IF, who was still staring at the gate.

"Come on, Compa," she called out to her friend, after a long silence, "let's go outside."

"Oh, uhh...sure?" The nurse hesitantly nodded, before hurrying to her side.

"What's troubling thee?" The clanking of metal armor came from behind them. "Hast my fellow companion done anything wrong?"

"It's, uh..." The brunette struggled to think of a good response. "I just don't get that mysterious, ominous personality of hers. Especially after she eavesdropped on our conversation, back then."

"Eh, that's how she is," Origin said, as she approached the two. "Much like my ambition of becoming the greatest knight in Gamindustri, she could be quite...obsessive, but over the magical arts instead of swordplay…to think about what transpired, last time..."

"Last time?"

"E-Eh, it is but a trivial incident! If thou wish to venture outside, then I shalt be thy shield!"

"Sure!" Compa nodded. "Even though Iffy can fight, we appreciate your help. Right, Iffy?"

"Uh, the more the merrier, I guess." She shrugged. "Let's go see what she's up to..."

* * *

Origin was the last to emerge from the warehouse, and as she shut the gate behind them, they were back in the desolate wilderness, once again. Most of the surrounding was barren earth concealed beneath a thick layer of snow, extending all the way towards the far horizon. After a long, futile search for the mysterious magician, who seemed to vanish in an instant, they finally stopped to rest.

"Damn..." IF groaned. "Where did she go?"

"Ugh! That capricious sorcerer..." Origin complained. "She told us that she wouldn't stray far from the hideout. Sheer dishonesty, that's what it is!"

"Is she always like this, Origin?" Compa shot them a curious glance.

"Oh, my fellow friend, thou hast no idea." Origin shrugged. "Because of her cryptic demeanor, even I don't know what she was up to, half of the time."

"Well, at least you can tell her to be more straightforward…?"

"I've tried my utmost, but she just scoffs and ignores it."

"Hey guys, look." IF called out to them, from behind a cluster of shrubbery, "I've found some footprints."

They hurried over to the spot, and saw a single deep footprint in the mushy snow. There were more of them, forming a trail that disappeared into a snowy forest in the distance, and the footprints looked too fresh and visible to be from anyone else.

"Dang it, Sir-Tech!" The knight put a hand to her forehead.

"Come on girls, we better find her." IF urged them. "Whatever she's up to, we don't want anything bad happening to her..."

"Got it!" Compa cheered, before taking off after her.

"W-Wait for me, my fellow companions!" Origin shouted. "Ah! My boots! Curse the lumpy snow!"

After a long walk, they finally entered the forest. Evergreen floras still stood tall against the sky, despite the heavy snow piled above their branches, and the footprints disappeared amongst a mess of twigs and uneven snow lumps. IF took the lead, and the party moved into the depth of the woods, hoping that they would not venture too far and lose their way.

After a long silence, the knight finally spoke.

"Where are we heading, right now?"

"No idea." IF wiped the sweat from her forehead, "With a forest this large, we might never find her."

"Don't worry, Iffy! I know we can do it." Compa patted her on the shoulder.

"TILTOWAIT!"

A strange chant pierced through the air, followed by a loud explosion in the distance. The ground trembled below them, and the trio almost lost balance and fell on their back, before it stopped abruptly.

"What in the world is that?!" IF yelled, her nurse companion still leaning on her for support.

"That explosion..." Origin frowned, and started sprinting. "Follow me! I know the sound of her sorcery!"

Running towards the direction where the sound had come from, the two girls followed the knight through the woods, haphazardly shoving the leaves and branches aside in their hurry to get to their lost companion—who might be in serious danger.

They stopped dead in their tracks when they suddenly charged into an open space. All vegetation in the blast radius was completely decimated, leaving only burnt stumps behind, and the thick layer of snow was gone, exposing the charred grass and earth beneath.

Several men were lying on the ground, and Lowee's national crest could be seen on the tattered banners they carried. Fortunately, it seemed like they were just knocked unconscious, despite the burnt marks on their armors and exposed skin.

As they glanced around, their sight slowly fixated on the only person standing, in front of an armored man, who was desperately trying to scramble away from her. Sir-Tech did not say anything, as she walked towards the frightened soldier, who soon found himself backed against a tree.

"P-Please.. I beg you! Spare me!" He raised his arms, and covered his face.

"I can't let you go free. You work for Lady Famika, and you'll expose our whereabouts." Sir-Tech gave him a cold glare. "MAHALITO."

The moment she uttered the last syllable, a giant fiery orb of flame appeared above her palm, and she raised her arm, ready to strike.

"Sir-Tech, wait!" IF rushed forth, and stepped between the magician and the soldier, shielding him from her incoming attack. "What are you doing?! You don't need to kill him!"

"Oh, thank Goddess thou art okay, Sir-Tech!" Origin heaved a sigh of relief, as she ran up to her companion, "What ruthless destruction hath thee unleashed on those poor men?"

"It's for my study." Sir-Tech replied flatly, and the fireball dissipated into thin air.

"How's beating these guys into a pulp a 'study'?!" IF jabbed a finger at her, while the nurse knelt down besides the unconscious soldiers, and started checking their conditions.

"Phew. They're okay..." After a minute, Compa looked up, with a weak smile on her face. "They only suffer some burns, and no critical injuries."

"Ugh! This is just like last time, wretched wizard! I told thee not to wreak havoc and endanger the lives of innocents!" The knight scolded, and her companion merely rolled her eyes at the lecture.

"They aren't innocent. They are after us. And what else should I use for my practice? Lady Odyssee taught me that all aspects of powers would only be learned from real experience, and magic is no exception."

"I understand thy words, Sir-Tech..." Origin lowered her head. "But how could thee justify such senseless, callous destruction, enemies or not?!"

"I cannot improve my skills without discovering the full potential of my spells, you wannabe knight." She retorted.

"Wannabe knight?!" Origin jerked back, like she had just been slapped in the face. "How dare thee insult my greatest passion and lifelong pursuit?!"

"You started it first. Milady teaches us that this is the right way to learn, so why are you trying to stop me?"

"Guys, guys, don't fight." IF stepped in, and separated the bickering duo. "Sir-Tech, how in the world did you find them here?"

"Ran into them, travelling on their horses, while I'm searching for a certain plant," she explained, "they attacked me first, though, so I took care of them. Apparently, they recognized me from their wanted list."

"I see..." The brunette frowned, still looking unconvinced.

She walked towards the injured soldier, and dragged him up by the collar. Compa moved closer, with a worried look on her face. She was about to say something, before IF looked at her, and shook her head, with an assuring smile on her face. Then, IF turned back to the soldier.

"Alright, speak up." She glared at him. "What's your purpose for coming here?"

"L-Lady Famika ordered us to find you and the two CPUs!" He stuttered. "The entire nation of Lowee are under alert, and we can't stop our search, until we capture you and bring you back!"

"Sir-Tech, how many men were there, when you ran into them?" IF took a deep breath.

"About seven of them." She glanced around the woods, before a realization dawned on her. "Five of them are lying here. Where are the other two?"

"Accursed cowards..." Origin mumbled. "If not all of them are here, that means...?"

"They must've run away to alert the rest." IF slapped herself on the forehead. "Dang it! We can't stay in the warehouse any longer, if they're going to search around this area."

"It wouldn't have been an issue, if that petty wizard had set aside her 'study'..."

"I did what Lady Odyssee taught us to do. It was mere bad timing." Sir-Tech muttered, at a barely audible volume.

"Wow, you must be really determined to continue your study, Sir-Tech..." Compa let out a nervous chuckle.

"Whatever it is, we better go warn our friends! We need to move out of here, right now, before they come to get us."

"Got it." Sir-Tech nodded.

"How about mister soldier here?" Compa pointed at the man.

"I can take care of that." The wizard said, and with another chant, her orb of fire was up again.

"Nothing deadly, please..." IF shook her head.

"Is casting fireballs thy only trick? Thou hast to be capable of more than that!" Origin facepalmed.

"Hmm..." She pondered. "No. I actually do know a useful spell."

Sir-Tech moved closer to the injured soldier, who was cowering in front of her. He started begging for mercy, again, before she held her tome up, and a blue aura started to glow around her and the book.

"KATINO."

Right after she muttered the strange foreign word, a blue, glowing mist suddenly surged towards the man's face, followed by a thump, as his body went limp and fell on the ground.

"There. happy?" She sighed, and closed her tome. "I made him fall asleep, so he wouldn't run off and snitch on us."

"So we'll just leave them here?" The nurse still looked a bit concerned.

"What else could we do?" Sir-Tech shrugged. "Besides, they won't be stuck here for long. Their fellow soldiers will soon come to pick them up."

"Eh, fair point." IF said, before gesturing them to follow, "C'mon girls. Let's hurry and go back, before they catch up with us!"

After one last look at the charred earth, the girls started running, treading on the trail of footprints they left on their way here as they disappeared into the woods.

* * *

_\- Intellastion_

Half of the district around them must be in ruins, at this point, as the three CPUs continued their chaotic battle. Black Heart swiftly dodged the chain of exploding orbs that flew out of Grey Heart's crystals, before Lilac Heart flanked her from the side, and flung her deck of cards towards her. Black Heart knocked them back with her sword, but the sheer force of the explosion still sent her sliding across the street.

"Tch..." Black Heart winced. "Is that all you got?"

"Don't even try acting like a Goddess, little girl!" Grey Heart boasted. "There's more where that came from!"

A blue, pulsating light erupted from the core of her twin crystals, and the next second, an arc of lightning shot towards Black Heart, causing her to scramble out of the way. It hit a concrete wall behind her, zapping it to pieces, and more streaks of lightning soon tore through the air as the crystals continued to fire at her, with the speed of a machine gun.

After barely dodging through an endless wave of assault, Black Heart panted in exhaustion as she landed on the ground, and right at that moment, the last bolt of lightning struck her body, and knocked her back. She fell on her knees, barely able to support herself up with her sword while the two CPUs approached their vulnerable foe, with a victorious grin on their face.

"That Hypercube… is mine!" Grey Heart exclaimed, and charged up her crystals.

A deck of cards came flying at her, right at that moment, causing her to jump back as it exploded in midair. A massive cloud of smoke engulfed the whole area, and, now that she could no longer spot Black Heart's silhouette, Grey Heart turned back to her fellow CPU, with a scowl on her face.

"Why did you do that?!" She snarked. "I could've obliterated her!"

"Hey! She was _my_ enemy, not ours! And that Hypercube would be better off in my hands." Lilac Heart retorted.

"Better off? With you? I was the one who knocked her out in the first place! You know you are standing on Intellastion's territory, right?"

"Oh, don't you start on that." Lilac Heart shot her a vicious glare. "How about we end this with a duel, then? Whoever wins gets the Hypercube."

"Hah! A duel? Well, you're on—"

"Take this!"

Black Heart rushed out of the smoke, and slammed her sword into Grey Heart's side, flinging her into the nearest building with a pained scream. She then smashed the sword towards Lilac Heart, but it was blocked by another invisible barrier.

"Of course..." Lilac Heart groaned. "Of course you won't go down that easily..."

A whirlwind of slashes tore through her barrier, cutting it into a bunch of pixelated particles. Caught by surprise, she leaped back, desperately trying to ready another deck of cards, and the next second, Black Heart's sword slammed into her torso.

"This is for Nep!" Black Heart yelled, as she swung the sword up, sending Lilac Heart flying up into the air, and jumped up after her. "And this is for me!"

The last swing of her sword slammed her opponent into the ground. A ray of light pierced through the cloud of dust and debris, and when the smoke cleared, Nakayama was lying in the middle of the road, unconscious.

Black Heart almost fell on her knees as she landed back on the ground, sighing in relief. Suddenly, another chain of exploding orbs flew at her, and she barely had time to raise her sword. She let out a scream as her wrist made a painful _crack_ sound, and she slid through the street, almost slamming right into a wall. A figure crawled out of the rubbles, from a distance away.

"You little..." Grey Heart stood up, wincing, holding a hand to her injured side. Behind her, the twin crystals slowly hovered off the ground. "You think you can beat the CPU of Intellastion so easily?"

Beads of sweat were rolling down Black Heart's face, as she stared at her opponent, trying her best to keep up her combat stance despite her injuries. Grey Heart slowly approached her, and she briefly halted her steps when she saw Nakayama's unconscious form, lying in the middle of the road.

"Oh, you've beaten her up?" She grinned. "Well, thanks! It would make my job a lot easier."

"Why, thank you too! That little squabble between you two really helps me out."

"Enough!"

Multiple arcs of lightning shot out of the twin crystals, and blasted Black Heart right in the chest. She fell to the ground, jerking and shrieking as more hits connected with her. Just when she was on the verge of fainting, the attack stopped.

"I won't say it again." Grey Heart glared down at her, who was still groaning in pain. "Give me the Hypercube, or I will zap you to death."

"As if I would!" Black Heart sneered weakly.

Through the haze of pain, she could still see Grey Heart's face scrunching up in frustration, as the crystals started to charge up behind her. Before she could send out another attack, someone landed in between them. Black Heart could not recognize her face, but she still heard the shocked whisper from her opponent.

"It's you..."

* * *

_\- A while ago._

Neptune ran through the streets of Intellastion, unsure of her current whereabouts. People were running past her, fleeing from the ongoing battle between the two CPUs, and she chased after them, trying to see if she could get some help.

"Anyone? Can anyone help me?"

No one responded to her plea. They just shoved her aside, and continued their escape. Dejected, Neptune finally halted her steps in the middle of the empty street, and let out a deep sigh.

"Awghh..." She whined. "If I still had my power, I could've helped Noire..."

"Is there a problem?"

A voice came from behind her, and she turned back, only to see the same empty street—before she looked up, and saw the woman hovering above her. Just as she landed on the ground, Neptune caught sight of the floating, brown-ish tesseract in her hands.

"Wait, where did she find little cubey?" She mumbled to herself. "I thought Noire had it? Unless she's..."

"Huh?" The woman gave her a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

"O-Oh! Yeah, yeah! I'm fine, thank you!" Neptune shook her head. "Uh, who are you?"

"Your reaction is quite odd..." The woman eyed the small lilac-haired girl. "Hmm, I assume you're a tourist from the PC Continent, since you do not know me."

"Eh?" Neptune frowned. "Are you that big of a deal?"

"Precisely. I suppose it depends on who you are." She chuckled. "My name is Odyssee, CPU of Magnabox and the dutiful guardian of Gamindustri, safeguarding the rest of the continent from chaos and strife."

"Well, hello there, Lady Odyssee! Hehe..." Neptune scratched her head. "Nice to meet you!"

The Hypercube in her hands started rattling violently, just when she was about to greet Neptune, and the CPU looked at it with a puzzled expression, as it let out multiple shrill chimes.

"Huh? What's wrong?" she asked, in a soft voice. "Is something bothering you?"

The Hypercube responded with another shaky chime as it frantically hovered around Neptune, flying back and forth above her head, while she stared at it in confusion, unsure of the meaning behind its erratic behavior.

"Eh? Why is little cubey spinning around me?"

"Little cubey?"

"O-Oh! That's how I call the Hypercube, hehe..." Neptune chuckled nervously.

"You _know_ my Hypercube, but not me...?"

The woman squinted at her in suspicion, before the sound of another explosion reached their ears. A trail of smoke rose up in the distant sky, and the few remaining stragglers on the street soon disappeared in a mad dash. Neptune gasped at the sight, before she ran up to the CPU, and grabbed her sleeves.

"Please, Lady Odyssee! You gotta help me!" She begged. "My friend is caught in the middle of the Goddesses' fight, and I can't get to her!"

"I understand." The woman nodded. "I've come here to pursue someone, who has disrupted the balance of the world. But if innocent lives are in danger, I can definitely put that goal aside for the time being."

"Thank you..." Neptune sighed in relief, before she realized something. "Wait, who are you chasing after?"

"The anomaly, of course," she answered. "But have no fear. I will not let you get anywhere near the anomaly I'm looking for, since I sense its power may be on my level..."

Her Hypercube kept rattling as it flew behind Neptune, and started pushing her towards the CPU.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Neptune complained.

"Hypercube, no." She calmly chided the Hypercube, before summoning it back with a wave of her hand. "Please don't be so rude to a stranger..."

Her Hypercube did not look convinced, and it continued to shake violently in her palms while letting out loud chiming noises, as if it was throwing a tantrum.

"My apology." She bowed her head slightly, and levitated off the ground again. "Now I must go to stop their ruckus, and save your friend."

"Great! I'll come with you!"

"I understand your concern about your friend, but please don't put yourself into danger." Odyssee turned back to her. "What could you actually do, in a battle between two CPUs?"

"B-But-!"

"Please don't follow me." She shook her head. "I'll handle the situation myself. Your intervention will only distract me."

Neptune tried to protest, but was shushed by the CPU, whose expression looked really serious all of a sudden. She hesitated a little, before lowering her head.

"Fine..." Neptune mumbled.

Another explosion sound came from the distance, and Odyssee quickly took off into the air, moving away from the lilac-haired girl and the dwindling amount of escaping citizens. After a few more glances, Neptune quietly started moving again, in the direction that the CPU was flying towards.

* * *

Odyssee landed in the middle of a complete wreckage, amongst the rubbles and burning cars. Ashes were falling down onto the two figures in front of her, like tiny snowflakes, and she grimaced a little at the smell of burnt ashes and charred rubber.

"It's you..." The only girl still standing let out a growl.

"Fascinating, Sylvania. You've brought so much destruction upon your own nation, without even sparing a single thought about the consequences of your battle?"

"Hah! That's all you have to say?" Grey Heart mocked. "Thanks to your clumsiness, I and Intellastion will finally gain the upper-hand in the Console War!"

"...What are you talking about?" Odyssee frowned, before she caught a glimpse of the unfamiliar figure, lying on the ground. "And who is this CPU? She looks new around here..."

"Tch..." Black Heart sneered, still struggling to support herself up.

"Once this random girl gives the Hypercube to me, I'll topple your reign and unify the entire Gamindustri!"

"My Hypercube? It's right here."

Odyssee called the Hypercube forth, and it landed onto her palms. Both CPUs were left speechless, as they stared at the cubic form of the godly weapon.

"Wha-what?!" Grey Heart gasped. "B-But this girl has the-! How?!"

"It can't be..." Black Heart squinted at the cube.

"I am not impressed by your rudeness, Sylvania. I've come here only to find the anomaly who has disturbed the balance of this world, and you are not my target. Do not try to drag me into your ruckus any further."

"Grr..." Grey Heart gritted her teeth, and charged up her crystals. "Still acting so high and mighty, huh?! Take this!"

A blinding aura of light radiated from her twin crystals, before they exploded into a storm of lightning arcs, shooting straight towards Odyssee. They slammed right into a translucent brown magical barrier, and fizzled out instantly.

Odyssee almost looked a little bored, as another wave of lightning storm struck the barrier, and right at that moment, she saw the limp body lying in the middle of the road.

"Huh? Nakayama?" She raised an eyebrow. "What happened to her? Why are you three having a duel inside this city?"

"None of your concern!" Grey Heart screamed, and doubled down on her attacks.

Her twin crystals had become a white hot plasma of glowing light, blasting out bolts after bolts of lightning against the impenetrable barrier created by the Hypercube, despite the complete ineffectiveness of her strikes.

"I have to acknowledge your persistence, despite knowing that you had no chance of winning."

Black Heart could only watch on, as Odyssee walked closer and closer towards Sylvania, effortlessly pushing back her foe's attacks with the magical barrier.

"Ugh! If only you had given me that Hypercube, I could've at least fought back!" Grey Heart briefly turned to yell at Black Heart, after her twin crystals' light finally fizzled out, having exhausted most of their power.

"What are you talking about?" Odyssee frowned. "The Hypercube has never left my side."

Switching back to her exploding orbs, Grey Heart casted a swarm of them, and flung them towards her opponent at a dizzying speed. Odyssee sidestepped away from the projectiles' path at the last second, and most of them struck the road in one gigantic blast.

The Hypercube started to buzz and rotate in her palms, right as Grey Heart sent another barrage of exploding orbs at her. Then, it flew forward at a supersonic speed, creating a blast of intense wind that caused most of the orbs to explode in midair, without touching Odyssee at all.

The next second, Grey Heart's twin crystals were up in front of her, trying to block the powerful weapon. But it was not enough—the Hypercube struck right through them, and connected with her stomach, tossing her all the way across the street like a ragdoll, until she landed on the ground with a thud.

With a flash of light, she was back to her human form, knocked out cold by the immense impact of the attack. Odyssee sighed in relief, before calling the Hypercube back to her.

Hearing a weak groan, she turned back, and saw Black Heart standing up from the ground, shakily leaning on her sword for support. Despite her severe injuries, she was still trying to keep up her stances, while staring at the victorious CPU—who had not shed a single drop of sweat during this one-sided battle.

"So...you are the CPU of Magnabox?"

"Yes indeed." Odyssee nodded, the Hypercube hovering above her palms. "I'm more curious about your identity, however. Considering your...outlandish HDD form, perhaps you do not hail from Gamindustri, but somewhere further away? The Motherland, I presume?"

"I...don't know where that is. But no." She responded with a blank stare. "I'm Black Heart, the CPU of Lastation."

"Lastation? If I recall correctly, there's no such nation on this continent..."

Odyssee's Hypercube suddenly let out a shrill beep, and began to circle around her, making frantic chiming noises in what seemed to be a panicking tone. Black Heart could not make out any coherent words from the cube's noises, but Odyssee nodded at the cube, before turning towards her.

"I see..." She narrowed her eyes, and the emotion drained out of her voice in an instant. "_You_ are the anomaly I've been looking for."

"What? Me, an anomaly? What are you trying to say?"

"Lately, unnatural phenomenons have been occurring all over this land." She explained, while peering at Black Heart with a keen interest.

"No one, not even us CPUs, would be able to see the root of these phenomenons, except for the Hypercube. And what it sensed was a severe tear in the very fabric of reality, one that could plunge not only Gamindustri, but the whole dimension, into chaos and ruins."

"What are you even talking about?!" Black Heart scowled. "Are you saying that you are going to kill me, just because I've accidentally travelled into a different dimension, against my will?"

"No. In fact, you've never travelled to a different dimension."

"W-Wait..." Black Heart stuttered. "So you're saying that this dimension...is still the dimension we come from...?"

"We?" Odyssee noticed her usual wording, and the frown on her face became even deeper. "So, you are also being accompanied by others. That will create a much bigger problem..."

"Yes! We got thrown into this strange world!" She admitted. "But don't drag my friends into your mess! If this is really Hyperdimension, then why does everything look so different?!"

"Because it's not the dimensions that you and your friends have travelled through, but _time_..."

"T-Time?!" Black Heart gasped.

"You _are_ an anomaly, and every second you spent here..." Odyssee glared at her, as she began to move closer, with the Hypercube in hand. "You risk breaking the timeline of our world, for you belong to the world of your present, and our future."

"W-Wait! I swear that I and my friends haven't done anything bad!" Black Heart shook her head, as she backed away from Odyssee.

"Too late." Odyssee let out a sigh. "If you don't leave this timeline so soon, the world of past, present, and future will soon be disrupted to such an extent, it may even collapse on itself. I'm afraid the only way to fix it is to erase your and your friends' existence."

The Hypercube started to spin and glow again, and Black Heart could barely pick up her sword as she braced herself for the incoming attack. It was probably not enough against the strongest CPU in this timeline, but...

"Wait, stop!"

A petite silhouette in a white parka jacket darted between her and Odyssee, and Black Heart's eyes widened at the sight.

"You...what are you—?" Odyssee looked a little dazzled, before she realized something. "Oh. So _she _is the friend you wanted to save?"

"Neptune? What are you doing here?!" Black Heart yelled.

"I've heard everything..." Neptune said, before turning back to face Odyssee. "Please spare our lives! We swear that we'll find a way to travel back to our present, as soon as possible! Just give us enough time to find all our friends, before we leave."

"Unfortunately, that's not possible." Odyssee shook her head. "I cannot accept the risk your continued presence will pose to our very existence. Now perish, for this world's safety!"

"H-Huh?"

Odyssee's Hypercube was fully charged now, spinning violently until it was a blur of light. The next second, it was flung towards Neptune, creating another blast of wind around it.

"No you don't!"

Black Heart lunged forth, and went after the Hypercube before it could hit her friend, swinging her sword right at it in a running strike.

The moment the two weapons connected with each other, a tremendous shockwave erupted from the impact point, sweeping the nearby cars and rubbles up and ejecting them out into the surrounding wreckage in a huge vortex of violent wind.

Neptune yelped as she, too, was swept up from the ground, flinging her arms wildly until she grabbed onto a sturdy wire pole nearby. Noticing the unconscious Nakayama tumbling right past her, she reached out and caught the CPU with her other hand.

"Ah! Got'cha!"

The two CPUs at the center of the impact were also thrown back by the impact. Odyssee knelt down, with one palm pressed against the earth, safely protected behind the barrier casted by her Hypercube. Black Heart, however, reverted to her human form as her back hit a wall, and she slid down onto the ground in a heap.

"Impossible..." Odyssee exclaimed. "How could you hold off a strike from my Hypercube?"

Once the dust had settled, and the debris fell back onto the ground, she spotted the identical cube lying next to Noire, and suddenly had an epiphany.

"Now I see why," she mumbled. "Her power was amplified by the _other_ Hypercube in her hands. That's how she was able to fight back. That's how all of you were brought into this timeline."

"Stop it!" Neptune rushed in front of her unconscious friend. "We don't wanna cause any problems, but I won't let you hurt my friends!"

"Hmph." Odyssee scoffed. "You do realize the danger of having two Hypercubes in the same timeline, right? Both of them can alter the very fabric of reality with their power, and their presence alongside each other is already creating a significant imbalance in the space-time continuum."

"So what?"

"You can't save your friends while keeping reality intact. Either surrender them to me, or let the roots of our timeline collapse on itself, and make us all fade to nothing. Which option will you choose?"

"The third option!" Neptune yelled. "Saving my friends and going back, before anything bad could happen!"

"Wrong answer."

Odyssee's Hypercube was out again, flying towards them at a speed so fast that it was igniting the air, leaving a trail of flames in its wake. Neptune and Noire did not even have the time to see the attack, much less react to it—but something else did.

Neptune's Hypercube shot forth with a loud chime, and slammed right into the identical cube before it could strike the pair down. A chain of explosions flared up around them as the two godly weapons collided repeatedly against each other, and everyone in the vicinity were pushed back by the immense force.

The very reality in the surrounding area seemed to ripple and tear, with every collision between the cubes. Solid materials were glitching in and out of existence, as arcs of lightning jumped between the cubes in an erratic pattern, and when Neptune looked down at her hands, she could only see a blur of pixelated colors—just like the glitching effect that sent them back in time.

"Woah." Neptune could only utter a single word, as she held Noire closer to her in a tight hug.

Odyssee, however, looked absolutely appalled by the power that the two Hypercubes unleashed in their ferocious battle. Not even Shares would be enough to protect the CPUs against their raw power. Slowly, she backed away, murmuring to herself.

"Why would she create another godly weapon of destruction...?"

The battle was over, as quickly as it started. The two Hypercubes collided one last time, followed by another violent shockwave that pushed both cubes away from each other, and sent them crashing onto the broken road below. The glitches faded away, and Neptune and Odyssee immediately ran towards their respective tesseracts.

"Little cubey!" Neptune picked the cube up, panting.

"A-Are you alright?!" Odyssee shouted, and hugged the cube in her arms.

Both Hypercubes let out a weak chime. Their light was a lot dimmer than before, drained by the intense battle, and neither of them was able to fly nor hover in this state. None of them had suffered any serious damage, however, to their owners' delight.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" Odyssee cried, as she continued to caress her Hypercube.

"Phew.. I'm glad you're okay! And thanks a lot! You really took a beating out there!" Neptune sighed, which was met with a small chime from the cube.

While Neptune was still patting her Hypercube, Odyssee stood back up with her tesseract in hand, her eyes burning with an intense fury.

"You will _not _get away with this."

"O-Oh no..." Neptune stuttered, and pointed towards the two unconscious girls lying on the road. "C-Can you get us out here, little cubey?!"

The Hypercube responded with a delighted chime, and the light in its core faded away into shining particles, as it started to vibrate. The particles erupted into a beacon of light, causing Odyssee to cover her eyes with her arms—when the light faded away, the group was gone.

"Don't you think this is over," she spoke, after a long silence. "I'll find you and your friends, and I'll erase your very existence from this timeline!"

* * *

"Uhh...W-Wha...?"

Noire slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a campfire, illuminating the small cave with its warmth and light. She lifted up the wooly blanket draped over her, sat up, and glanced towards the cave's exit. Nearby branches were swinging in the violent wind, as rain pounded mercilessly against the soil outside.

"Wakey wakey, Noire! Having a good nap?"

Neptune called out to her in her usual cheerful voice, besides the campfire, the Hypercube sitting on her lap. Noire put a hand to her forehead, with a small groan—her ears were still ringing, her whole body was sore, and the last thing she remembered was facing the CPU of Magnabox.

"Jeez...What happened? And where are we?" She mumbled.

"You got knocked out during the fight, duh." Neptune shrugged, "And little cubey warped us away from that time-and-balance-loving CPU."

"Little cubey can do that? Wow..." Noire stretched her arms out, before she noticed something different about the cube. "Wait, what happened to it? Why is it so...dim?"

"It got weakened, I guess." Neptune shrugged, before giving the Hypercube another pat. "It must be so tired, after fighting its clone. But little cubey is okay! It just needs a good rest."

"I see." Noire sighed.

However, just as she pressed her palms onto the ground, ready to stand up, she felt something warm against her skin, and glanced to her right. To her horror, a familiar girl was sleeping right next to her.

"N-Nakayama?!" Noire barely held back a scream, as she stood up, and backed away from the sleeping CPU. "What the hell, Nep?! Why is she here with us?!"

"W-Well..." Neptune let out a nervous chuckle. "I kinda asked little cubey to take her along, too? We can't just leave her in a nation that isn't her own, so here we are, hehe..."

"She tried to kill us! _Twice_!"

"Yeah, I know." Neptune sweatdropped. "But what if a random patriot stumbled across her, the Goddess of a hostile nation? Don't you think they'd do...bad things to her?"

Noire gritted her teeth, flabbergasted by her friend's almost idiotic level of compassion towards their enemy.

"Damn it, Nep..." She facepalmed, hard, which was met with a sheepish smile from Neptune. After a long, awkward silence, she finally sat back down, with a sulky look on her face.

"Fine, I'll let that stupid girl stay with us. Just don't expect me to be all buddy-buddy with her, Nep!"

"No problem!" Neptune cheered. "At least we've managed to team up with a CPU!"

"But~" Noire held up a finger, with a smirk on her face. "Only under one condition..."

"Eh?"

* * *

"...Uhh?"

Nakayama yawned, and she found herself staring into the low rock ceiling above. Feeling a blanket over her, she tried to raise her arms and pull it aside, only to realize that she could not move.

"Huh?!" Nakayama blurted out. "Why can't I move?!"

As she was shaking and writhing under the blanket in a panic, she caught a glimpse of two girls sitting beside the campfire, and let out a low growl.

"Oh, you two again..."

With one last jerk, she sat up, and the blanket slid off her. She shook her head, looked down, and froze.

"What?! Why am I tied up?!" Nakayama snarked, as she tried to wriggle out of the binds. "Hey! Let me go!"

"No." Both of them replied simultaneously, before Noire added, "I will not let you go, just so you can shoot us in the back while we aren't looking."

"Augh! Fine! Once I break free, I'll blast you to smithereens!

Nakayama continued her attempt to wrench herself free from the tough, tight ropes, until she finally ran out of breath, and fell back down again, panting in exhaustion.

"Giving up already?" Noire smirked. "It can't be that hard, right, Nep?"

"Shut up!"

"At least you should thank her for saving you."

"Saving me? From what? I could save myself just alright, if you had given the Hypercube to me!" Nakayama retorted.

"Hey guys, be quiet, please? Little cubey here is trying to rest." Neptune chimed in. "It's in a pretty bad shape, after fighting the other Hypercube."

"_Other_ Hypercube?" Nakayama frowned. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"It's a long story." Noire gave her a half-hearted wave. "You missed all the fun parts, after your little squabble with Sylvania."

"Yeah, rub it in!" She grumbled. "And I still don't buy it! Two Hypercubes in Gamindustri? It's just absurd!"

"Oh well..." Neptune shrugged. "Guess you'll be tied up for a while."

"Agh! Just let me go already!" Nakayama whined, before she resumed her struggle against the restraints.

"You tried to kill both of us," Noire glared at her, "and you started this mess, when you attacked us in that cafe. Why would we believe in you?"

"And you are just some random weakling CPUs who happen to get lucky, and stumble upon the most powerful weapon in Gamindustri that no CPUs could even stand a chance against! What, you think it's just some magical cube?!" She barked back.

"Nope. We've already heard about its power, from our new friends."

"Oh, and it isn't the actual Hypercube of this timeline." Noire sighed.

"Huh? Timeline?"

"Well, you see..."

* * *

"...and that's how we got here." Noire ended her long explanation. "After we fell through that hole, both of us lost our CPU powers, and were separated from our friends."

"Hm..." Nakayama pondered. She still looked a little skeptical, but was able to grasp most of the story. "That is interesting."

"So, because we have this cube with us, now we're being hunted by Odyssee for...disturbing the timeline and something like that."

"Not surprising. The Hypercube is more than a complex magical artifact." Nakayama commented. "It is one of the ancient artifacts created by the precursor Goddess."

"Huh? A precursor Goddess?" Neptune perked up.

"She is CPU Braun, the first Goddess to ever exist in Gamindustri. Her Hypercube is the one that helps to shape this world into its current state. Most of the time, she always kept her creation on her person, because of how incredibly powerful it is."

"Then how does the Hypercube end up in Odyssee's hands?" Noire asked.

"It's a different story." Nakayama paused. "Odyssee used to be her pupil, when she was still a child, born into a family of wizardry. She was a child prodigy, which was why Braun entrusted her to safeguard the cube, before her disappearance. Up to this day, she still holds her promise, and guards the weapon of the precursor Goddess."

"Woah..." Neptune exclaimed in awe. "I never thought the strongest CPU in this timeline has such an unusual backstory!"

"Yeah, that's why we are held back by her." Nakayama sighed. "She keeps Gamindustri in a state of balance, while preventing us from winning the Console War. Technically speaking, Magnabox dominates the whole Gamindustri by stopping the expansion of other nations, and only one CPU could stand up to her..."

"Tari..."

"Yes. Tari's Goddess is the only one who can hold her own against Odyssee. Even so, her nation is too aggressive against other CPUs, and those who do not worship her. She has been trying to take over Gamindustri, since the start of her reign, which is why Odyssee keeps a close watch on them."

"But she lost," Neptune mumbled.

"Huh? What did you say?"

"N-Nothing!" Noire waved frantically at her, before covering up Neptune's mouth with her other hand, "She's just talking to herself again. Would you please give us a minute?"

"Uh, sure."

Noire pulled Neptune away, and they hurried to the very edge of the cave, where rain trickled down from the ceiling, into the huge puddles below.

"N-Nepu-?!" Neptune yelped, after Noire finally let her go, "What's that all about?!"

"Listen, Nep." Noire grabbed her shoulders. "We can't let them know about their future! Like what Odyssee told us, if we continued to mess up our past, what would happen to our present? Our sisters, our friends, our nations? Not only will we break the timeline, we may not even exist at all!"

"Okay, okay, I know! I just got a little forgetful!"

"Ugh! Really, Nep?" Noire groaned. "Don't tell me your amnesia strikes again..."

"Hey! Don't drag the original me into this, Lonely Heart!"

"Fine, fine." Noire sighed. "Just...whatever you do, don't tell them about their future, okay?"

"You can count on me!" Neptune gave her a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, sure."

After their private talk, they soon headed back to the campfire. Nakayama, however, was still sitting at her original sleeping spot, grimacing in discomfort.

"Hey, can you just untie me now? It's starting to hurt..."

"How about no?" Noire smirked. "Now you know how I feel like, being stuck inside your stupid cage."

"W-What?!" She gasped, "Come on! Enough is enough! I've even told you about Odyssee, how about you return the favor?!"

"I _might _let you go, if you apologize and promise not to turn against us."

"Never!" Nakayama snarked back. "You can tease me as much as you like, but I'll never give in to your stupid deal!"

"Then fine, have it your way." Noire shrugged. "Come on, Nep. How's little cubey?"

"Little cubey is fine, it just needs a little more rest." Neptune smiled. "Also, are you sure you'll leave her all tied up?"

"She asked for it. Can't say I hadn't given her a chance."

Noire leaned back against the cave wall, while Neptune gently caressed the Hypercube, and Nakayama started another round of desperate struggles against the ropes.

"I swear, you two will pay for this!" She cussed. "When I break free from these damn ropes, I'll pound you into the ground, then use the Hypercube to erase all traces of your pathetic existence!"

"C'mon, can you at least keep it down?" Neptune whined. "Little cubey here is very exhausted and needs to rest."

"Blah, blah, blah! Not until you set me free!"

"Nep." Noire facepalmed. "Let's just leave her in this cave. You can't make her your new friend when she's still fuming mad at us."

"I mean, this is your idea, right?" Neptune stared at her. "Tie her up when she's still unconscious."

"At least it's for a good reason, Nep. There's nothing you can do to convince a bad guy."

"Yeah, I know."

"Who are you calling a bad guy?!" Nakayama protested. "Oh, so you are the good guys now? Going around, saving people? No! You're doing the exact opposite!"

"Hey!" Neptune retorted. "I'm the protagonist, and since you attacked my party, it actually makes you the antagonist! So yeah, you are the bad guy!"

"Why, you little—!"

* * *

"W-What?!"

Bandai looked like she was about to faint onto the warehouse floor at any second, after the girls gathered around her, and told her about the encounter. IF and Compa were eyeing each other uncomfortably, while Origin continued to scold her companion.

"How could thee catch the authorities' attention so early?! If thou hast not ventured outside for thy study, we could have more time to prepare for the escape!"

"It's just bad timing." Sir Tech mumbled.

"Bad timing?!" Origin threw her hands up in the air. "Curse thy arrogance, wizard! How can thee be so calm about this...?"

"Just forget about it, Origin." Bandai cut in. "What's done is done. For now, we have to put our plan into motion, as quickly as possible."

"How quick, if I may ask?" Vert stopped caressing Yokoi's hair, and looked up.

"Earlier than before—"

"Yeah, we get that." Blanc interrupted her. "What is the _exact time_?"

"I-I don't know!" She stuttered. "It's so sudden, I don't have the time to sort it out yet!"

"Jeez, this is bad." IF glanced around the room. "Also, where is Namco?"

"Oh, she went out a while ago, just to get the things we need-"

"Hello, everyone! Guess who's back?" A loud creaking sound came from behind them, as Namco lifted up the gate. "Woah, you girls are all gathered up in a circle, huh? I guess this calls for a tea party!"

"It's…not the best time for that..." Compa sweatdropped.

"They've found us." IF stated flatly.

"What?!" Namco gasped. "But we've just come here! How did we suddenly get spotted?"

"My bumbling wizard companion ran into them." The knight let out a dramatic sigh. "To think that a supposedly wise magician like thee could be so ignorant..."

"I've already explained why. Can you stop pestering me?" Sir-Tech groaned. "What's done is done. Don't make me pinch your cheeks again."

"Namco, have you prepared our disguises?" Bandai ran up to her.

"Uh, yes! Of course!" Namco smiled as she tossed the bags full of clothings onto a nearby crate. "It's just what we need for the grand escape!"

"Good, I'll send a letter, telling them we need to ship our products early, because one of our partners is getting impatient, and asked us to deliver the goods as fast as possible."

"Alright, then. Guess we're moving out again..." Blanc muttered. "How's the kid? Don't want to get ourselves into trouble, puting the CPU Candidate of this Lowee in danger."

"Do not worry, Blanc. He's gonna be alright." Vert smiled as she gazed down at Yokoi, who was sleeping soundly on her lap. "The boy will be perfectly fine, as long as he's in my arms."

"You mean _our_ arms? I don't like that bitch, but letting you keep him is too cruel, even as revenge."

"Oh, how rude of you, Blanc." Vert pouted.

"Packages, check! Disguise prepared, check! And the young prince, check!" Namco announced cheerfully, as she scribbled on her checklist, "Alright, it looks like we're ready to get the escape quest going!"

"If everything goes as planned, I'm so going to spend the next week playing with Tekken, just to calm my nerves...Namco, you better not drag us into any more messes after this!"

"Hehe..." She nervously chuckled. "Will do."

"Well, we're really sorry for the troubles we've caused..." Compa gave the pair a small bow. "We promise that we'll never tell anyone about you!"

"Thanks, Compa." Bandai sighed. "Now let's get this over with."

"Alright, girls, come forth! Grab your uniform and suit up for business!" Namco yelled, as she handed out a set of factory uniforms to each girl, along with a white hat.

"This looks a little too big for me." IF said. "Is this the only size you got?"

"That's all I could find from our stockpile." Namco shrugged. "But give it a try, will ya'? At least it's comfy enough."

The girls retreated behind the crates and started to take off their outer clothes, before they started putting on the uniform shirts and pants. The oversized black shirts were sagging a little on most of the girls, except for a single person.

"Oh dear..." Vert let out an awkward chuckle. "It appears that my breasts… don't quite fit into the uniform."

"I can see why." Blanc rolled her eyes, as she briefly glanced at Vert, who was struggling to pull the zipper of her uniform jacket up to her collar, with little success.

"Uhh...Won't that be a bit…lewd?" Namco scratched her head at the sight.

"It's not like having large breasts in Lowee is illegal or anything. Oh, here's your hat." Bandai replied, before tossing a hat over the crate.

"Why, thank you." Vert laughed, as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Guess Lowee would always be the land of flat-chested girls, no matter which dimension we are in."

"Watch your mouth, thundertits." Blanc gave her a nasty glare. "This might be a different dimension, but I still won't let you insult my nation like that."

"I'm just joking. You don't have to take it personally."

"Hey, Sir-Tech and Origin!" IF called out to the pair. "Your disguises!"

"I'll get them later." Sir-Tech replied, before she went back to writing indescribable symbols onto her tome.

"I'm coming, my fellow adventurer!" Origin shouted back. "Just give me three minute to remove my armors."

She quickly unbuckled the belts that held up her silver chestplate, gauntlets and leggings, revealing the chainmail armor, white tabard and brown pants beneath. Behind her, IF shot her a curious glance.

"Wow, that's a lot of layers. you must be pretty well-protected, aren't you?"

"Of course!" The knight turned back, with a huge grin on her face. "A noble knight must never let down their guards, even in the time of peace!"

Sir-Tech, finally done with her tome, set it down gently on a nearby crate before taking her blue cloak off. She was surprisingly petite, now that she was in her light, plain underrobe, and she quickly grabbed the uniform when IF handed it to her.

"Thanks." She said, and started to put on the disguises.

* * *

After they were all dressed up, the girls gathered in the middle of the warehouse, with Yokoi by their side, who still looked a little drowsy after waking up from his nap. Namco were standing in front of them, tugging at their sleeves and adjusting their hats like a drill instructor.

"Uh, what's going on?" Yokoi rubbed his eyes.

"What's going on? Your grand escape from Lowee, of course! Ready to see the big world out there?" Namco raised her fists into the air.

"B-But my big sis..."

"Don't worry, she'll be alright." IF gave him a pat on the head.

"While you were prepping up your disguises, Bandai received a confirmation letter from the dock that the schedule is now set! I got the package ready. It's right over here."

Namco pointed towards a huge crate, before she removed the lid, revealing the large amount of toys piled inside. It was quite amazing that there was still enough space in the crate to fit a child in, despite the clutter.

"Why are there a lot of figurines of a... magical girl in a sailor outfit?" Compa picked one up, and gave it a small poke.

"Why, this one should've gone to a toyseller, as per usual. But oh well, he changed his mind about the deal." She explained. "We're ready to dump the entire thing, until you girls and Yokoi show up. May as well put 'em to some good use."

"So all we have to do is put Yokoi inside the crate, and carry it to the port?" IF lowered her head. "It sounds so wrong, now that I think about it..."

"Can't do much at this point, really." Namco shrugged. "It's better than keeping Yokoi with us, and risking him being recognized by the guards."

"U-Uh..." Yokoi fidgeted uncomfortably, and looked away from the crate.

"There's a small hole on this panel." Namco put a hand on his shoulder, and guided him towards the crate. "So no worries! You can still breathe and see what's going on outside."

"But I still don't wanna leave my big sis here, all alone..."

"Can't we just let him talk to Lady Famika, for once?" Bandai eyed the boy. "He obviously still misses his sister, and don't you think this may come back to bite us, at the worst moment?"

"But-!" Compa's protest was shushed..

"You don't want her to hurt him? Yes, I get it, but I'm pretty sure that Lady Famika isn't _that_ kind of person..." She glared at her companion. "And you know it, Namco."

"H-Hold it for awhile, Bandai!" Namco stuttered. "We're just getting started with our escape, and we can't turn back now!"

"The girls want to escape from her, and I can understand," she clarified. "But to bring the CPU Candidate away from her...I can't agree with that."

"So you want them to just leave him here?"

"Exactly." Bandai sighed. "But I won't force you to give up your plan. Just keep in mind that I'm not a big fan of this idea, at all."

Bandai stormed off into the depths of the warehouse, leaving the girls staring at the empty space, while Yokoi looked like he was about to burst into tears. Finally, Namco interrupted the awkward silence with a cough.

"So uh, yeah...I'll talk to her later. Don't worry about it." She assured the group. "Alright, prepare yourselves for departure, while I get my truck's engine running!"

"Wait, you have a truck?" Blanc frowned. "I thought there were only horses and wagons around here?"

"Yeah, that's true, but this truck doesn't come from Lowee." Namco chuckled. "It was imported. Getting it through the custom was such a pain! Man, these ridiculous laws of Lowee..."

IF gestured to Vert, who nodded and lifted Yokoi up, before gently setting him down into the crate. His pair of _geta _clogs sunk into the pile of toys, as he propped himself up, and shifted to a slightly less awkward position.

"It feels so cramped..." Yokoi mumbled.

"Don't worry, little Yokoi." Vert smiled. "I'm sure it won't take long, before you're in the ship!"

"But my big sis-!"

"Don't worry about Lady Famika, Sir Yokoi." Sir-Tech interrupted him. "Just take care of yourself, and we'll take care of the rest."

"Indeed, my fellow companion!" Origin chimed in. "Do not fear, Prince Yokoi! If thy sister would truly wish thee harm, I shalt come to thy side with my sword, in return for thy efforts in setting us free!"

"Augh..." He whimpered, as the lid slowly slid shut.

* * *

The fight against the armored dummy was a fierce one, but eventually, with a final strike, it fell to its knees, and stopped moving. Linda wiped the sweat off her forehead, her iron pipe already strapped onto her back, while her rat companion collapsed onto the cold ground, and let out a deep sigh.

"Phew...That was close, chu..."

"You think?" The delinquent snickered. "At least it's a good fight. Too bad it's beaten to a pulp now."

"I don't know." Warechu shrugged. "We should keep moving, chu."

"Well, duh. I swear, they must have modelled this place after some dungeon crawl games..."

They headed back into the maze-like dungeon, and peeked around the corner. Their instructor had long disappeared behind the edge of the high wall, and the scowl on Linda's face got progressively deeper, with each passing second of silence. After opening a few more random doors, another foe popped up in their path.

"Detecting, potential, targets." One of the dummies said, in a robotic monotone voice, "Initiating tar-"

"Shut the hell up, you crappy piece of junk!" Linda swung her pipe towards its head, causing its neck to snap. With a second strike, the head flew off its body like an oversized baseball.

Bullet soon rained down across the room, forcing Warechu to scurry behind the nearest cover, while Linda continued bashing her way through the small hoard of dummies. The numbers did get a little overwhelming, and just as she was bashing down a dummy that suddenly popped up behind her, a bullet grazed past her leg.

"Argh!" She gasped at the burning sensation. "Why, you-!"

Linda charged towards the attacker, holding her pipe sideways, with a murderous glare on her face. The dummy continued firing at her, and after deflecting a few bullets with her weapon, Linda lunged at the dummy, knocked the rifle out of its hands, and trampled it down.

"Knock, it, off! You, annoying, piece of junk!" The delinquent screamed, as she unleashed a torrent of vicious assaults on the dummy, until it was reduced to a heap of scrap metal pieces.

"T-That's enough, chu..." Warechu tugged at her sleeves, trying to calm her down. "I think you've shown that chump who's boss."

After one last bash, just for the sake of it, Linda leaned back against the nearest wall, and slowly rolled up her pant leg with one hand. The bullet had only grazed the skin, but there was still a fair amount of blood oozing out of the wound.

"Tch, that no-good punk..." Linda mumbled. "I swear I'll give her more than just a regular beating, after we're done here."

"You're bleeding out..." Warechu eyed her nervously, before he caught a glimpse of something behind a half-opened door. "Hold on, there are some shelves around here, chu. I'll go look for some bandages."

"Go for it." She gave him a small nod.

Her companion disappeared into the dark room, and Linda, still leaning against the wall, gazed up at the fluorescent light bulbs hanging above the maze, with a deep frown on her face.

"Where the hell is she...?"

Outside of the maze, Duchess was lying on her comfy seat, chugging down a can of soda as she watched over the pair.

"It's taking 'em so long!" She whined. "C'mon, Linda girl. You know that ain't anywhere near your full potential, right?"

"Here's your food, Duchess." Ranger walked in, with a bag of popcorn in hand. "I also grabbed another bundle of soda."

"Ah, that's nice! Give it to me!" She grinned, and impatiently gestured towards her teammate. "Ain't nothing can compare to a sweet, tasty corn that pops like a fizzle!"

"So, uh, how's the new fella doing? Getting a hang of it yet?"

"Nah." Duchess shook her head. "She's a bit of a slow learner. They're doing fine, but it still ain't enough for our heist."

"At least they aren't in serious trouble." Ranger sweatdropped, "Aren't you going to… you know? Train them?"

"What~? Of course I am. Why do ya' think I bring them to this sweet maze here?"

"Uh, no. I mean training them _directly._ In a one-on-one lesson." Ranger clarified.

"Huh..." Duchess pondered, and took another sip from her soda can. "Nah. Feeling kinda tired today. They can wait till another day."

"But you..."

"Really. I'm not gonna slack off." Duchess grabbed another handful of popcorn, and stuffed them into her mouth. "Feel free to be their coach, if that's what floats your boat."

"Well, whatever you say." Ranger sighed, and walked out of the room.

Duchess moved her sight back onto the pair below. Nothing interesting seemed to be happening down there, and, after finishing her first can of soda, she put down the bag of popcorn, and popped open another can.

"Mmh...This drink ain't so bad after all!"

* * *

Linda easily took down the last few dummies on their path with a flurry of strikes, before she looked up, and saw a huge grey door in front of them. Its gigantic proportion and cold metallic glow gave it a faint, ominous aura that sent chills up their spines.

"I-I don't like where this is going, chu..." Warechu cowered a little, as he eyed the door.

"Hey, if this door is bigger than the rest, there must be something good behind it." Linda said, before she kicked the door open.

It took them a few seconds to adjust to the darkness inside the room, which the light from outside could barely penetrate. Frightened, Warechu stayed close to Linda, gripping the corner of her jacket with his paws.

The door suddenly shut behind them when they were halfway across the room, casting the entire space into complete darkness. Warechu tightened his grip on Linda's jacket, before a ray of light shone down from above, and the light panels dangling on the ceiling lit up one by one.

The room was massive, with grey metal spikes decorating its walls. Warechu nearly jumped up as he caught sight of the piles of skeletal remains, scattered all across the floor.

"W-Wah! We need to get out of here, chu!"

"Hey! Will you cut it out!" Linda barked.

"Calm down, those are just props that we forgot to clean up."

A voice called out to them. The pair looked up, and saw Ranger standing above the walls.

"You guys are pretty good, to be honest. I thought we'd have to rescue you from this dungeon for a sec." She applauded.

"Hey!" Linda shouted. "How far are we from the exit?!"

"Actually, it's right here." Ranger pointed at the door on the other side of the room. "But, just so you know, it'll remain locked until after you've faced your final challenge."

"Final challenge?"

"A boss fight." She shrugged, "Honestly, one-on-one duels in a training session are such a cliche, don't ya' think so? So, here's a simple task. Beat it till it's as good as dead."

"Heh, that ain't so bad after all." Linda smirked, and drew her iron pipe.

"I wouldn't be so sure 'bout that. But since you've fought against Duchess, I guess I'll have a little more faith in you."

With a thud, the floor at the center of the room slowly slid apart, revealing a rising platform with a larger dummy on it. Unlike the smaller ones, it wielded a large, spiked steel hammer, and was covered with steel platings from head to toe. The ground below trembled as the dummy took its first few steps, and started moving towards them.

"Boss D-Quake, initiated." The boss announced, grasping its giant hammer tight. "Boss Battle, commenced."

"W-What's that big chump?!" Warechu exclaimed.

"Hah! That's a boss?" Linda boasted. "More like a piece of cake!"

The boss started sprinting towards the pair. Its huge size and weight hampered its speed, however, and the pair hopped away before the hammer could slam them into a pulp. The strike missed, but the resulting shockwave was still enough to push both of them away.

Linda jammed her pipe against the ground and steadied herself, while Warechu was knocked down, and faceplanted on the hard tiles as he tumbled all the way across the room.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" The rat squeaked with each bump against the tiles, until he finally slammed into a wall.

"Hey, tough guy! Is that all you got?" Linda mocked. "Try moving faster than that!"

The boss responded to her taunts by charging straight at her, holding its hammer with both hands, and made multiple overhead slams. They all missed, thanks to Linda's agility and small build, and she maneuvered around the dummy with ease, before slamming her pipe against its back. She winced a little, as the pipe bounced off the tough steel plating.

"Damn, that thing's too strong to beat up..." Linda cussed.

Ranger, who was watching her performance with a keen interest, looked quite awed by Linda's reaction speed. She gave the delinquent a small clap, as she dodged another slow swing from the hammer.

"You're doing great. I'm impressed, really." Ranger smiled, "But, unless you've found a way to get through its armor, you'll be stuck in this fight until you call it quits."

"Call it quits? Nah!" Linda laughed, reached into her jacket pocket, and grabbed the pistol. "I think a run-and-gun should do it!"

She fired a few blasts at the boss' head, and, just when it switched back to one-handing the hammer, shielding its head from the projectiles with its other hand, she circled around it. Then, she began to climb up its legs.

"Linda, what are you doing?!" Warechu picked himself up from the ground, and squealed at her.

"My pipe isn't enough to get through this junk! But a gun should do the trick!" Linda yelled back, and pulled herself up onto its shoulder, while the boss was stumbling around the room, trying to shake her off.

The boss dropped its hammer, attempting to grab the delinquent with its hands and throw her off, but she easily dodged the clumsy grabs. Clinging onto the back of its head, Linda cocked her pistol, and pressed it against the thinnest piece of metal plating.

"Eat lead, you giant bucket-head!"

The bullet pierced through the lightly armored skull, tearing the circuitry apart on its way out, and the dummy fell to its knees, before slamming against the ground with a loud thud. Linda hopped down from its neck, with a victorious grin on her face, and gave a fist bump to the air in celebration of her success.

"Hah! How do you like that?" She snickered.

Right at that moment, the massive door on the other side slid open in a dramatic slow motion, the cranking of gears and pistons echoing through the room for a solid minute before it was fully open. Ranger was standing behind the door, with arms crossed.

"Congratulations." She applauded. "You have succeeded in conquering your first training level—"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Linda cut her off, "now, where the hell is Duchess?"

"Uh, she's up there, still eating her snacks." Ranger gestured at a staircase nearby.

"Tch..." She growled. "That little bitch..."

Still panting heavily, Linda stomped her way up the narrow metal stairs, while Ranger and Warechu stared at her blankly. As the sounds of her rash footsteps finally vanished in the distance, Warechu, still feeling a vague sense of unease, mumbled to himself.

"I have a bad feeling about this, chu..."

* * *

The floor was littered with empty soda cans, and Duchess, still slumped in her chair, continued to munch on the popcorn, without a care in the world. After one last sip from the soda can, she let out a satisfied sigh, and tossed it aside.

Right at that moment, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance, holding a pipe over her shoulder, and her eyes lit up at the sight.

"Ay, Linda~!" She called out to the girl, grabbed another can, and held it up high in the air. "Congrats on completing your training! What do ya' think? Is it good? Bad? Easy? Hard? Messy? Oh wait, the maze is always messy, hehe."

"So uh, yeah, your prize! I almost forgot that! Do you want a bag of popcorn? Or a can of soda? Which flavor?" She gestured towards the bundle of drinks, which was met with an eerie silence.

"That's a no, huh? Well, what else do you want? Need a good firearm? Oh wait, you're pretty roughed up, how 'bout I let you—"

"—bash your skull wide open? _YES!_" Linda let out a furious shriek, and charged towards Duchess, her pipe out in an overhead grip.

Duchess swiftly ducked to the side, and the next second, the swing connected with her chair, which exploded in a burst of splinters and shards.

"Woah there, fella." Duchess leaped back, with a smug grin on her face. "You're fuming! What, still have some rage ya' need to get out of your system, after that whole training mayhem?"

"Well duh, I ain't feeling fine, you punk!" Linda yelled, as she made a couple more swings at her. "I told you I'm gonna beat you to a pulp, after you shoved us into this stupid death simulator! You could've killed us!"

"C'mon, I was just kidding about the killing part!" Duchess giggled. "Hell, Gordea specifically programs them to _not_ kill you, just to knock you down and give you a little scratch."

"Oh, _sure_. Getting shot in the leg is just a little scratch, huh? Take this! You—stupid—punk!"

Linda kicked Duchess squarely in the chest, and sent her flying into the opposite wall. She propped herself up with a weak cough, holding a hand to her chest, and a small bit of blood could be seen on her lips. Despite the pain, she still kept up her rowdy persona and smile, as she picked up her fallen shades, and put them back on.

"Heh, now, that's a real kick..." She grinned. "You should've hit 'em harder back there, as hard as you kicked me!"

Before Linda could bring her pipe down on her head, Warechu and Ranger rushed up the staircase, grabbed her by the arms, and dragged her back from Duchess.

"Hey!" Linda shrieked, as she struggled against the tight grip. "Let me go, you punks!"

"Linda, just stop it, chu!" Warechu pleaded, and the delinquent hesitantly stopped her attempt to break free, after a few more tries.

"Duchess, are you okay?!" Ranger approached her senior, and helped her to stand back up. "Geez, that's one nasty bruise she gives ya'..."

"Nah, it's no big deal!" Duchess cheered. "It'll take more than a bruise to bring down good ol' me!"

"What ze hell is going on?!"

A loud, belligerent voice rang through the room, before the door opened, and two figures barged through. Erich had her huge machine gun out and ready, while Gordea was still holding a circuit board in her hands, with a bewildered look on her face.

"What's with ze ruckus here? What have you done on mein turf?!" Erich screamed. "And what ze hell happened to you, Duchess?!"

"Hey, calm down. All is well!" Duchess assured her, before she made a funny grimace. "Man, this bruise is really starting to sting..."

"What about zat punk?!" She pointed to Linda, and glared at her, "Did you make this mess?"

"So what? You have a problem with that?" Linda retorted back. "Oh, want me to give you a beating, too?"

Erich's trigger finger twitched, and she looked like she was about to blast Linda in the face, before Duchess hastily staggered up to her and pushed the gun aside, and Warechu pulled his companion back.

"Nein!" Erich roared. "Zat punk wants to pick a fight with me? I'll give it to her!"

"A'ight, Feldmarschall. No biting on my recruits, got it?" Duchess gave her a shaky smile. "Besides, I'll have a talk with 'em later."

"Grr, fine! And teach zat punk some respect towards her seniors, while you are at it!"

Erich stormed out of the room, still muttering a stream of vulgarities under her breath. Duchess let out a deep sigh, and turned to the confused tinkerer.

"Hey, Gordea." She said. "Might wanna tone down the simulation next time. Make it just a tiny…bit...easier…for the pair."

"Uh, sure." Gordea nodded. "Anyway, what just happened? I just heard the shouting, and rushed here."

"It's just good ol' Linda." Duchess chuckled, which earned her a glare from the delinquent. "Ain't nothing but a sweet taste of fizzy drink, a bag of popcorn, and a mild bruise over here."

"Oh, god! What happened?!" Gordea rushed to her side, after she lifted up her top a little, and exposed the bruise beneath. "Does it hurt? How did this happen to you?"

"Ehh, it wasn't that big of a deal. Linda ain't happy being dumped into the maze. After she was done with the thing, she gave me a good kick, just to let out some steam."

"Geez." The tinkerer facepalmed. "Why would you even send them in there..."

Gordea put an arm around her shoulders, and helped Duchess get near the gate, before she turned back, and bowed towards the pair.

"I'm very sorry! I'll make sure to tone the difficulty setting down next time!"

"Calm down, it's not your fault or anything." Linda scoffed.

"Duchess, why did you even...?"

"Just forget about it." Linda snarked. "I'll talk to her later. Just go patch her up."

"B-But!"

"Chill'ax, Gordea." Duchess held up a palm, as she leaned against the wall, with a grin on her face. "Yeah, we'll talk about it later."

"What the hell is with that smug grin?" Linda frowned. "What, have I suddenly become a whole new person, after that little trip to your death maze?"

"Psh, nah. It's more than that, but I'll not gonna spoil it for you." Duchess snickered. "C'mon Gordea, let's go. This bruise really ain't going easy on me."

"Okay then..."

Gordea held her up by the shoulder again, and the pair walked out of the gate, leaving Linda and Warechu alone in the room, together with Ranger.

"You know you shouldn't have kicked her like that." Ranger gave her a dirty look.

"Why the hell not? Who wouldn't have kicked the punk, after she threw you into a giant, stupid maze, full of dummies that can literally kill you?"

"Well, I can't really blame you..." Ranger sighed "But really, Duchess is always this rowdy. It's nothing personal."

"Oh sure! Nothing personal! That rowdy punk just has some terribly off ideas about what 'training' means, huh?!"

"Linda, maybe you should take a break, chu..." Warechu mumbled. "We've been through a lot, chu."

"Yeah, I guess so. Though, where can we go and relax for a bit?"

"We got a lounge in the middle of our hideout." Ranger replied. "Normally, that's where the whole A-Squad gets comfy, and sometimes have a glass of wine after our heist."

"That would be nice, chu." The rat smiled. "What does the room have?"

"Eh, not much. A huge red couch and a bulky TV. We also got a stereo that Gordea built for us, though the audio is really terrible."

"Sure, fine. I'll gladly take it." Linda smirked. "Where is it?"

"This way." Ranger gestured for the pair to follow her.

* * *

"What the hell?! 'Not much'? Hello? It's _way _more than that!"

Linda gasped as the door opened, revealing a multimillionaire-class lounge, more luxurious than anything the pair could have anticipated. It was an elegant white room, full of expensive decorations, and right in the middle of the room lay a soft red couch, about as large as a car. The CRT TV in front of it was ginormous and bulky, even taller than Linda—a stark departure from the thin holographic television screens in their home dimension.

Warechu's eyes lit up in awe as he scurried around the room, examining every little detail on the expensive furnitures and decorative artworks, while Linda was still standing at the gate, with her mouth agape.

"Again, how the hell is this not enough for you?!" She turned to Ranger, after the door shut behind them. "This place is like a mansion!"

"Well..." Ranger scratched her head. "I guess that you've never seen other gangs' lounge. They have bigger rooms and more expensive decors, but eh, they also have a lot more people. Gotta need a huge space, just to stuff everyone inside."

"Eh, we've been living a dirt poor life, selling pirated games. Don't make that much of a difference to me." The delinquent crossed her arms.

"Why would you buy this kind of television, chu?" Warechu asked. "It looks so old-school. You guys should have enough money for a newer one, chu."

"Huh? Old school?" Ranger raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? This is the latest television model on the market."

"What?" The rat exclaimed. "There aren't any TVs with a flat screen, and you can hang on a wall? Without the bulky parts?"

"Huh? That's even more confusing...I've never heard of any televisions like that. It sounds super cool, though. Like it's straight out of a sci-fi movie."

Before they could continue their conversation, the door behind them suddenly slid open, revealing a familiar figure.

"Hey there, fellas!" Duchess cheered, and opened her arms. "Guess who's back?"

"Oh no..." The delinquent and her rat companion murmured in dismay. "Not her again..."

"Hey, already patched up?" Ranger waved at her.

"Kinda, but eh, good enough." Duchess lifted her shirt, revealing the bandages wrapped around her chest, "Gordea said that I need to wrap this thing around my body for a day or so. It's so uncomfortable and annoying, y'know?"

"You're welcome." Linda sneered.

"Haha, real funny, Linda girl."

Duchess casually walked across the lounge, before she hopped onto the luxurious couch, and slumped into its soft surface.

"Uh, Duchess?" Linda waved at her. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah, all good n' well! The bruise ain't going to screw me over this time!"

"Yeah, but there's one more thing..."

"Come to think of it, didn't you wanna tell me something, Linda?" Duchess put a hand to her chin. "Y'know, back in the training room?"

"Yeah, that's right." Linda groaned.

"Oh great! Now that you ain't fuming mad anymore, we could at least have a civil talk. What do ya' want from your good ol' Duchess here?"

"Before we start, I want this to be kept private." Linda pointed at Ranger and Warechu.

"Huh?" Warechu frowned. "Me too, chu?"

"You heard your pal, Warechu." Duchess winked at him. "Now, why don't ya' step outside, and let us have this little secret talk? You can chat with Ranger while we're at it."

"Alright then, Duchess." Ranger shrugged. "Come on, Warechu. Let's get outta' here."

"Uh, sure."

The two departed the room, and the door slammed shut behind them. Duchess lay down on the couch, and stretched her arms out in a huge yawn, before she grabbed a bottle of water on the table and took a sip, oblivious to Linda's blank stares.

"So, what is it?" Duchess smiled. "You asked for a talk, and here I am! What'cha got?"

"I don't buy the whole 'training' bullshit, when you drag us into that game." Linda said. "Still ain't gonna forgive you for that. But really, _why? _What's the point?"

"Ah, that's what you wanna know, hehe." Duchess chuckled, as she stood back up. "Of course I don't expect you to forgive my slack. But yes, the maze game isn't just plain ol' training. It's more of a… quiz bee."

"You mean a test? The hell are you testing for?"

"Like I said, you really impressed me with your cocky delinquent swagger, back there." She smiled, "But now that I've seen you in some real action, I'm finally sure that you'd fit into the A-Squad on square one."

"What about Warechu?"

"Ehh, he got a bit of a mixed reception." Duchess shrugged. "So far, his wits ain't all that impressive, nor is he the fighting type. He should've been kicked out, but his psychopathic gal pal ain't gonna be happy 'bout that, right?"

"You've been thinking about it?" Linda gave her a nasty look, and she shook her head.

"Of course not! I ain't the cruel type!" Duchess looked almost a little offended. "It was only just a suggestion, and in the end, that idea is rejected."

"It better be..." The delinquent sighed, before she also sat down on the couch, and slouched back. "Again, what the hell are you testing for?"

"Simple, proving yourself strong enough to join this gang of the greatest gun-slingers in town! Even if you ain't a shooter type...guess that's gotta be a diversity bonus on my checklist."

"Wha-?" Linda scowled. "I thought we were already on the team?"

"Yeah, sure. But I need an overview of your skills, even for that temporary employment." She clarified.

"We know the security of Tari's bank is top-notch. I've seen you fight, but I still dunno if your skill against Dogoos and cops is enough against the heaviest security forces in Gamindustri. To use an analogy, you're like a water gal in the football competition, with us leading the team."

"Don't even try to underestimate my skills, Duchess." Linda let out a low growl. "You, of all people, should know that."

"Sure." Duchess nodded. "You've proven it to me, to Ranger, and probably to Gordea, too, if you kicking me in front of her count as one."

"How about that wannabe clone? The girl who's your equal or something?"

"Oh, Erich? Hmm..." She pondered, "Well...you certainly left a bad impression on her, and we had to stop you two from tearing each other's throat out, twice in a row now. Yeah, I don't think she'll accept you, just yet. But hey, at least our group is democratic!"

"Yeah, that's one way to manage this mess of a group..."

"Hehe, that's one way to describe A-Squad." Duchess nudged Linda on the shoulder. "But yeah, we sure are a mess, and wherever we go, we leave a mess of blazing bullets, too!"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Wanna know how long it took us to clean up Erich's mess, after she went all out with her MG-42 in the training arena?"

"Nevermind..." The delinquent shook her head. "I don't even wanna know."

"Hehe, you should be."

Duchess walked to a cabinet, grabbed a bottle of wine, and poured it into a glass, before she took a sip and closed her eyes, savoring the rich flavor. After a satisfied sigh, she set the glass back onto the table, moved back to the couch, and sat down.

"Phew! Man, that's really something." She laughed. "Yeah, we had some good times, back then."

"Whatever you say, punk." Linda crossed her arms. "Not like I know much about them personally."

"Linda girl, just shut it, a'right?" Duchess teased. "How about we go take a look at our test results, to see if you're ready to pull off some insane stunts in Gamindustri!"

"Whatever." The delinquent huffed. "Just get it over with, so we can start this stupid mission already."

"No problem! I'll go get the papers."

Duchess stood back up, and stretched her arms out, before she suddenly remembered something, and gave Linda a heavy slap on the back with an "Ah-ha!" sound, to her great confusion.

"The hell's that for?"

"While I'm on my way to fetch the papers, I should bring Erich to see the show, too." She grinned, "Don't make us disappointed in ya'."

* * *

"Sis! Wake up!"

"U-Ugh..."

Sylvania found herself staring into a white ceiling, before two faces moved into her field of vision, one of them a young girl with blue hair, and she saw the bag of IV fluids hanging above her.

"Phew..." The little girl sighed. "I'm glad you're okay..."

"Huh, Lessa?" She mumbled. "How did I end up here?"

"You had passed out after the fight, Lady Sylvania." The nurse explained. "When we found you, you were badly injured, so we quickly carried you to a hospital."

"And that's when they called me here!" The girl leaned forward, with a worried look on her face. "I'm really scared when I saw you lying there..."

"Hehe..." She let out a weak chuckle, and grabbed her younger sister's hand. "I'm really sorry about that."

"Auugh..." The girl pouted. "Just don't scare me like that, next time!"

"Don't worry."

"Forgive me, milady, but...I heard there had been a battle in the middle of Intellastion, and some said that they caught sight of the CPUs of Magnabox and Planeptune, and this other CPU that no one can recognize. In fact, her outfit is bizarrely different, compared to the rest. Do you know who she is?"

"Huh, who is this 'other CPU'?" Lessa frowned.

"I understand the citizens' concern about the recent battle. Odyssee's intervention just made it more heated than usual, and of course people would be curious about this new CPU." Sylvania sighed. "However, until I'm well enough to start collecting intels about this CPU, I don't think I can give you a good answer."

"I understand, Lady Sylvania." The nurse responded with a bow.

"Now, there's something else I need to deal with—"

Sylvania sat up, and staggered out of her bed, before a burning pain struck her chest, and she nearly fell on her knees. Her sister and the nurse hurried forth and caught her in their arms, before helping her back onto her bed. She tried to sit up again, but was gently pushed down.

"Lady Sylvania! You haven't fully recovered yet. You must stay in your bed."

"B-But!"

"Sis, don't be stubborn!" Lessa pouted. "Please don't exert yourself too much."

Despite understanding their concerns, Sylvania still could not help but scowl a little, as she let out a deep sigh, and stopped her struggle.

"Fine...I'll stay here for a while."

"Good." The nurse smiled. "If there's something you need, please tell us."

"Okay. Wait, can you bring a glass of water?"

"Sure." She nodded. "I'll bring one, right away."

The nurse disappeared behind the doors, leaving the two alone in the room. After the echoes of her footsteps faded away, there was a moment of silence, before Sylvania called out to her sister.

"Hey, Lessa."

"Huh? What is it, big sis?"

"I've told you about the battle…Now, would you please do something for me?"

"Of course!" She grinned. "Anything for my big sis!"

"Good." Sylvania patted the CPU Candidate on the head. "It's about this 'other CPU' I mentioned. I want you to find her, and her lilac-haired friend in a parka jacket."

"Huh? Why would you want me to find this CPU?" The Candidate looked a little puzzled, before she perked up, with a huge smile on her face. "Oh! Do you want me to fight her for you?"

"O-Of course not! You're not ready to challenge another CPU yet!" Sylvania shook her head frantically. "I just want you to search for them. If you do find them, keep an eye on these two, and let me know where they are. Got it?"

"Got it!" The girl gave her a salute. "I won't let you down, sis!"

Lessa shoved the door open, and sprinted past the nurse, just when she was about to come in, and she nearly dropped the glass of water in surprise. The nurse let out a small sigh, before she carried the tray to Sylvania, and set the glass down on the small table beside her bed.

"Seems like your little sister is in a rush. She's ready to race today, isn't she?"

"Nope, it's something different." Sylvania shook her head. "Something she needs to keep an eye on."

* * *

With a roar of the engines, Lessa's exotic convertible race car took a sharp turn through the streets, overtaking the nearby vehicles in a hurry, its black paint shimmering under the sunlight. Despite the speed, the young girl's driving skill could be described as flawless.

Finally, she stepped on the brakes, and the car came to a halt with a screech of its tires, in front of a roadblock, where multiple police officers were putting up tapes around the wreckage. She opened the car door, and quickly approached the scene.

"Ah, Lady Lessa." The captain waved at her. "It was my pleasure to meet the divine figure of this nation."

"T-Thank you, cap..." Lessa replied, looking a little flustered.

"So, what brought you here, milady? Our boys were still working on the investigation, as well as cleaning up the wreckage. A battle in the city center...now the Console War is really getting on the people's nerves."

"True..." She sighed. "Anyway, I came here to ask about the other CPUs involved in this fight. Do you know them?"

"Of course, milady." The captain nodded. "From our questioning of the witnesses, it seemed like the CPUs of Magnabox, Planeptune, and...another CPU were responsible for this destruction."

"And who is she?"

"So far, we are unable to trace her identity. No one has seen her before, either." He shook his head.

_'That's odd. Could a new CPU have been born in Gamindustri, without anyone's knowledge?' _Lessa thought.

"From what the witnesses closest to the battle scene had told us, she went by the title of Black Heart, and called herself the CPU of Lastation." The captain flipped through the paper in his hands, before he started speaking again.

"The odd thing is, there isn't a nation named Lastation. We thought she was an imposter, but the level of strength she displayed, and the witness accounts...there is no way she could fake that."

"I see..." Lessa narrowed her eyes. "Do you know where this 'Black Heart' is at, right now?"

"Sadly, no. No one has seen their departure, but people did see the CPU of Magnabox flying away in the aftermath. Both Black Heart and Lilac Heart seemed to disappear without a trace, and we cannot track them down."

"Alright, then. I've heard enough..." Lessa sighed, before she started walking back towards her car. "If you've found more information about them, let me know!"

"Yes, milady."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_Nakayama_ represents the game console as **SG-1000** _(1983-1985)_.

_Sylvania_ represents the game console as **Intellivision** _(1979-1990)_.

_Lessa_ represents the handheld game console as **Mattel Auto Race** _(1976)_, world's first handheld game console.

_Odyssee_ represents the game console as **Magnavox Odyssey** _(1972-1975)_

_Braun_ represents the prototype game console as the **Brown Box prototype** _(1967-1968)_, world's first game console to be developed.

This is intentionally long, as I've celebrate its 10th chapter and reaching _100,000_ words just for the sake of it, that's been a a lot of days spent for this.

Hope this wouldn't be much of a distraction by its length.

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreader & Editor


	11. New Tari

\- Tari

Above a green landscape, a squadron of ships soared through the wind. Nepgear and the twins peered through the window of Astro's ship, and saw the clean grassy meadow below, adorn with industrialized settlements that they had been seeing throughout the flight.

Uni, in Estella's jet, was the first to see the majestic city in the distance, tinted in a blueish black hue, and the factories, power plants and buildings that stood tall against the skyline. Nepgear's jaw dropped as she recalled the sight of a very familiar city from her memories, which bore an uncanny resemblance to this one.

"Is this...?"

"Ladies, we're now approaching Tari's air space." Estella announced through the radio. "We'll land our jets in an open area, away from the populated sectors. Copy?"

"Roger that, Major Estella." Galaxa replied. "Astro, you better not mess up the landing again."

"What?" Astro whined. "Just give me a break! That accident is only a one-time thing!"

"Girls, enough." Zappa sighed. "We need to repair our ships as soon as possible. Your engines won't last long, with all the bullets and shrapnels lodged in them."

"Copy that, Lieutenant Zappa." Estella said. "Let's give these bad boys a break already."

"Phew..." Nepgear leaned back in her seat. "I'm so glad it's over."

* * *

Landing in the middle of a forest near the outskirts of the city, Nepgear, Uni, Rom, and Ram rushed out of their ships, and took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air of the grassland, while the Rangers started inspecting their respective ships. Astro had crawled under her jet, checking on the circuitry below.

Galaxa was in front of her ship, sighing and shaking her head at the shredded hull, and Estella grimaced as she examined the turrets below her jet. Zappa's ship was the only one that did not suffer much damage, so she simply lay down beside a tree, relaxing in the gentle sunlight.

"I can't believe this is Tari..." Nepgear muttered.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Uni turned back to her.

"I only knew Tari as this…ruined and abandoned city. Was this how Tari used to be like, back in the old days? I'm wondering if we really did travel to another dimension..."

"It could be an alternate dimension." Uni answered. "But I can't really say for sure. For one, that steampunk nation doesn't exist in our home dimension."

"You mean Balarch?" Zappa propped herself up, and chimed in. "And what's with the whole 'dimensions' thing? You two were physicists back home?"

"Uh, no." Uni shook her head. "It's just...there's something odd about this world. It feels so different."

"Different? This is how it always is. A world engulfed by the Console War, leaving common folks to the mercy of monsters and criminals..."

"So, about the current Console War..." Nepgear raised a hand, intrigued by the statement. "How's it like?"

"Not that different from the previous one. The Goddesses fight against each other, hoping to become the sole ruler of Gamindustri, leaving their people to fend for themselves."

"Wait..." Uni noticed the unusual word choice. "_Previous_ one?"

"Yes. The first Console War." Zappa said. "Of course you wouldn't know that. It happened a long time ago. When exactly? Way before the birth of most current CPUs, I think."

'So this dimension has two Console Wars...' Nepgear thought.

"It was the most chaotic period in Gamindustri's history. Too many CPUs—there were probably hundreds of them, all tangled in a world-wide war that ravaged the entire Gamindustri. It might have even spread to the other continents."

"Hundreds?!" The pair exclaimed.

"Yeah. With that many CPUs back in the days, battling each other for survival, it didn't end well for the people nor the land." Zappa sighed. "The war just raged on and on, and when it was over, only a few of the strongest CPUs were left standing."

"Woah..." Uni opened her mouth, awed by the world's history. "So that's how Gamindustri comes to be? And who're the CPUs that survive the war?"

"Pretty much." Zappa nodded. "Obviously, Odyssee is one of them. She's been around for ages. I'm not sure about the others, though."

"Odyssee?"

"I get it that you aren't familiar with the old history, but how could you not know _her_?" Zappa raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure _everyone _knows her. Everyone that hasn't been living under a rock, that is."

"Well.. You could say that, hehe..." Nepgear let out a nervous laugh.

"Hmph, fine." She shrugged. "To put it simply, Odyssee is the ruling CPU of Magnabox—the only nation that reigned over Gamindustri for a long, long time."

"Huh?" Nepgear frowned. "Tari isn't the first nation?"

"Tari is kinda its rival. It appears a little later, but both of them come into existence in the same generation. Still, no other nations could challenge them, except for Magnabox. Not even Balarch."

"I-I see..."

Feeling a little exhausted from the long conversation, the pair sat down on the grassy ground beside Zappa, and stretched out their arms. The wind blew against their skin softly, ruffling their hair in a gentle rhythm. They moved into the tree's shadow, after a while—the heat of the sunlight was getting uncomfortable, despite the gentle weather.

While they were relaxing under the tree, the twins were cheerfully playing around the grass, chasing after each other in a circle.

"Hah! You can't outrun me!" Ram laughed, as she trampled her way through the tall grass.

"Augh!" Rom pouted a little, still struggling to shove the tall grasses aside. "There was so much grass here!"

"Girls! Be careful and don't stray too far!" Nepgear warned them.

"Got it!" Ram waved back at her.

"Yeah..." Her twin came to a halt behind her, panting. "It's so hot."

"The weather is a little warm right now. Don't play under the sunlight for too long, please?"

"Alright girls, come over here." Estella called out to the rest of the group, who quickly gathered around her in a circle, though the twins were left to continue their game of tag.

"What's up? Is everything okay?" Uni asked.

"It's a mixed bag." Estella shrugged. "During combat, most of our ships suffered heavy damage, especially from C-Grass's cannon..."

"The front of my ship was almost decimated by her bullets." Galaxa chuckled, as she scratched her head. "But Astro's surprise attack made up for it in the end, hehe..."

"My ship is still in good shape, though I have to deal with the torn circuits." Astro groaned.

"And my ship's underside got hit directly by a shrapnel firework..." Estella sighed. "Broken turrets with a damaged engine. That would take some time to fix."

"Hey, so far, Zappa's ship is in the best condition. Only has some dents on it." Astro glanced at the boomerang-shaped jet. "Why's that?"

"My ship's too fast for the slower artillery." Zappa calmly replied.

"Hehe, I guess so."

"This calls for an extended repair session." Estella announced. "We need to fix the damage, but it may take a while. Not only would it take a long time to repair the ships, but finding the materials we need..."

"Sheesh, that's gonna be a long walk." Astro glanced at her HUD watch, and started typing on it. "We can buy the parts in Tari, though only commercial-grade materials are available. The nearest shop is about several blocks away from us."

"We can't carry them all the way back, either." Galaxa winced. "We better call a delivery truck."

"Already got that covered." Astro gave her a thumbs-up. "I'll let them know, after we buy all the parts we need."

"Great." Estella smiled. "Hope the wait won't get too painful for your girls. Still gonna take a long time, before we're good to go."

"...Is this how long it usually takes? To repair your ships?" Nepgear sweatdropped. "It'll only take a few hours back home, with the help of my robots."

"You're an engineer and robotics student?" The major gave her a curious look. "I don't think robots are on par with hard labor and experience. None of the robots I've seen is smart enough for that."

"I guess it's just me then, hehe..." Nepgear chuckled awkwardly, and looked away from her.

"Hey Nepgear!" The twins, now done with their game, ran back to her. "Do you have any snacks? We're hungry."

"I don't think we have brought any." Uni sighed. "The CPU just barged in so quickly, before we could pack up our things."

"Oh yeah." Estella turned to Zappa. "Lieutenant, you should find us a place to stay, while we're working on our ships. Do you have any credits left?"

"Affirmative, Major Estella." Zappa fished a few bills out of her pocket, "It should also be enough to buy some snacks for the girls."

"Oh really?" Nepgear looked quite relieved at the news. "Thank goodness..."

"Yay!" the twin cheered.

"Here's some credits." Zappa put some into Nepgear's palms. "We should head out now. Unless you have a destination in mind, stick close to me."

"Alright then." Uni nodded. "Lead the way."

"Good luck out there, girls." Estella waved at them, before walking back to her ship.

Leaving the rest of the Rangers to their inspections, Zappa and the girls departed from the meadow, shoving the grasses and shrubs aside as they made their way through the trees, and headed towards the city of Tari.

* * *

Even though they had only arrived at the outskirts of the city, the girls were amazed by the grandeur that couldn't be further apart from the ruins in their memories. The towering buildings and factories around them only seemed to get taller and taller, as they walked along the clean, wide pavements, which divided the districts into neatly organized squares. Nearby pedestrians were walking in an orderly line, leaving plenty of space around them.

"Tari looks bigger than I expected." Nepgear mumbled. "How could it be so...well-organized?"

"Well, Tari's laws are pretty strict, compared to the rest of Gamindustri. One reason why I don't like living here." Zappa shrugged.

They continued to wander around the city sectors, until they entered a spacious area, with a giant steel fountain in its center. Streams of water flowed smoothly into the pool at its base, with barely a splash.

"Eh, looks like we're in the park." Zappa sighed. "I kinda regret not taking Galaxa along with us."

"Hey, Rom!" Ram patted her sister on the shoulder. "Wanna play tag? This place looks so huge!"

"U-Uh, not now, Ram..." Rom timidly shook her head. "We're looking for something important, right now, so—"

"Aughh!" She pouted, and started tugging on Rom's sleeves. "Come on! I don't wanna just sit there and watch them buy stuff!"

"R-Rom! Wait!"

"Hey, girls!" Nepgear stepped in front of them. "It's not the best time. Let's play together later, okay?"

"Don't worry, Nepgear." Uni intervened. "I'll stay here and watch over them. You and Zappa can go and buy what we need."

"A-Are you sure?"

"It's fine." Uni gave her an assuring smile. "See you later."

"Uh, sure..." Nepgear slowly nodded, before gesturing to Zappa. "Come on. Let's go buy the snacks."

"Got it." She replied, and the two began to walk away from the park.

The sectors were even more populated, now that they were further into the city, and many people were going in and out of the nearby shops, each selling a variety of items, from food to games to electronics. They barely managed to squeeze their way through the crowd, before stopping in front of a small convenience store.

"There it is." Zappa pointed at the glass door. "You should have enough credits to buy anything you want. You know how to walk back to the park, right?"

"Of course!" Nepgear smiled. "It would be a piece of cake!"

"Great. I'm off to search for a hotel . I'll let you and my fellow Rangers know, after I've found a nice place to stay."

"Alright! Good luck out there!"

Nepgear waved Zappa goodbye, and her yellow jumpsuit soon disappeared into the crowds. Taking a deep breath, Nepgear approached the store, and pushed the door open, with a determined look on her face.

'Alright..' She thought. 'Just buy some snacks and drinks, and that should be all!'

* * *

Uni sat down beside the fountain, keeping an eye on the twins, who were running around the large park. Glancing up at the clear blue sky, she stretched out her arms in a huge yawn, while cheerful chatters echoed in the distance.

"Haha! You can't catch me, Rom!" Ram briefly turned back, and stuck her tongue out at her twin.

"Look out!" Rom yelled.

"Huh? What do you mean—? Ack!"

Uni's eyes snapped open at the loud thump, just in time to see Ram falling to the ground, together with the person she bumped into. She rushed to their side, together with Rom. After they helped Ram to get up, their sight shifted towards the fallen figure.

"Oww..." The little girl with cyan hair groaned. She was on her knees, but she couldn't be much taller than the twins, even if she stood up.

"Are you alright?!" Uni put a hand to her shoulder, with a worried look on her face.

"W-We're really sorry!" Rom stuttered, as she reached out towards the girl, and pulled her up. Only then did Uni notice that the box of toys in her arms had tumbled onto the ground, spilling its content all over the place.

"Here, let me help you with those." Uni knelt down, and started picking up the toys. As she put them back into the box, she couldn't help but squint at the colorful, boxy form of those pieces.

"Are these some kind of puzzles?"

"Y-Yeah..." The little girl answered, still rubbing her forehead. "Oww..."

"I'm really sorry for what my sis did..." Rom made a deep bow.

"Y-Yeah, sorry 'bout that..." Ram also apologized, still wincing a little from the rough bump.

"I-It's okay..." The girl wiped the tears from her cyan-colored eyes."It's just an accident."

"That's great." Uni sighed in relief, before turning to chide Ram. "Next time, you should be more careful when running around!"

"I know that!" Ram retorted. "I just didn't see her!"

"At least she's okay..." Rom watched from the side, with a timid smile on her face.

"So uh, what kind of puzzle toys are these?" Uni picked a piece out of the box, and gazed at it curiously.

"These are called Klax." The girl stood back up, and shook off the dust on her formal, suit-like dress. "Can I have it back?"

"Sure." Uni handed the box back to the girl.

"Thanks!" She grinned, hugging the box of toys tightly to her chest. "I'm glad that nothing's broken!"

"Hmm..." Uni put a hand to her chin, as she eyed the girl. "Your dress looks kinda familiar..."

"Huh?"

"Hey, she even has these cute, little horns on her!" Ram noticed the mini white horns poking out of her hair, and reached out to touch one of them.

"U-Uwah! Don't poke them!" She ducked away, with a flustered look on her face.

"Lynxi!"

A loud voice boomed in the distance. When they turned back, they saw a woman with pale silver hair, her black suit and monochrome shoulder attachments glimmering under the sunlight. Below her loose white belt was a short skirt, and she was wearing black leggings and long white boots.

The mere sight of her sent the girls into stunned silence, as the little girl quickly ran up to her.

"Is t-that…Rei?!" Uni let out a terrified whisper.

"Big sis!" The girl—Lynxi—hopped towards the woman, and gave her a huge hug.

"Where have you been, Lynxi?" Rei bent down and hugged her back, with a gentle smile on her face. "I've been looking for you, ever since I finished today's work."

Uni could only watch on, as the twins hid behind her, completely bewildered by Rei's uncharacteristic calmness. None of them was expecting to see Rei in this dimension, let alone having a little sister. The calmness did not last long, however, and Rei's smile soon vanished into a disdainful frown when she spotted the girls.

"Who are they?" She sneered. "Are they trying to hurt you?"

"W-What?!" Uni shook her head. "No! We're just—!"

"Back off!" Rei whipped her staff out and aimed it towards them, while holding her sister close to her with her free hand. "I swear, if you three have laid a finger on my sister, I'm blasting you to ashes, right here, right now!"

"Sis, stop!" Lynxi cried, and dragged her back by her sleeves. "Don't threaten them like that! They're just trying to help me!"

"We're telling you the truth..." Rom explained in a shaky voice. "My sister accidently bumped into her, and we're helping her pick up her toys..."

"Your sister?" Rei peered at Ram, looking even more disgruntled than before. "...What did you do?"

"U-Uh..." The twins stuttered, and slowly backed away from her.

"Hey!" Uni stepped in front of the twins, and jabbed a finger at Rei. "If you are going to bully my friends, then you'd better go through me first!"

"You sure have the guts, to be so insolent towards your Goddess." Rei narrowed her eyes. "No matter. Next time, leave my sister out of your stupid little games. Or else..."

"How's helping your little sister a stupid thing?! What kind of overprotective sister are you?!"

"You dare to question how I raise my own sister?!"

Without warning, an energy orb appeared on the tip of her staff, and she flung it at Uni. The projectile became a blur as it sped towards them, and Uni only had the time to shield the twins with her own body, before it could connect with them.

It would have hit its target, but right at that moment, a large, colorful block fell from the sky, and squashed the projectile underneath. The trio opened their eyes, and saw Lynxi standing in front of them, with multiple blocks hovering around her.

Even Rei looked surprised. For a moment, she just stared at the little girl in wordless silence, her mouth agape.

"W-What?!"

"Why can't you understand?!" Lynxi yelled. "I won't let you hurt them!"

Rei trembled a little at the words, like she had just been slapped in the face. Then, she took a deep breath, and glared at the trio, her eyes burning with an even more intense anger, before she dropped her staff, which dematerialized before it touched the ground.

"Fine. I'll let you go, for Lynxi's sake." She let out a deep sigh. "But, don't ever try to find her again. Come on, Lynxi. Let's head back home."

Rei walked right past them, without sparing a single glance, and signaled for her sister to follow. Lynxi trailed behind her, as they departed from the park, before she turned back to the trio, and whispered in a barely audible voice.

"I'm so sorry about my big sister..."

The pair soon vanished from their view. Uni sat back down on the edge of the fountain, and let out a deep sigh, followed by Rom and Ram. The twins, judging from their tired looks, didn't seem like they were in the mood for games anymore.

"This dimension's Rei doesn't look much different, except for being so…hostile, even in her human form." Uni muttered to herself. "And this Tari has a CPU Candidate? What's going on here?"

Right at that moment, another figure appeared on the horizon, holding two huge plastic bags in her arms. The twins perked up as they saw the familiar lilac hair, and they quickly ran up to her, shouting her name in an excited voice.

"Nepgear!"

"Hey girls, I'm back!" Nepgear put the bags down, revealing the colorful packets of snacks inside. "Phew, these sure are heavy! I didn't know that a small amount of credits could buy so much stuff..."

"Don't worry, Nepgear!" Ram assured her. "We'll carry them for you!"

"Really? Oh, thank goodness..." Nepgear heaved a sigh of relief, as the twins picked up the bags, and lifted them up. "How was it, Uni?"

"Nepgear." Uni grabbed her by the shoulders. "We need to talk."

"Huh?"

Uni was about to open her mouth, when something started ringing in Nepgear's pocket. She grabbed the vibrating radiophone, and pressed on the green button.

"Hello?"

"It's me, Nepgear," Zappa's voice came out of the device. "You done buying the snacks?"

"Uh, yeah," Nepgear answered. "I was about to give the snacks to them."

"Good," she said. "Maybe eat them later in the hotel room. I've found a place for us to stay."

"Oh, that's great! Where are you right now?"

"I'll ping you the location," she answered, and the radiophone vibrated again, after several seconds.

Nepgear looked down, and saw a map on the screen, with a bright red dot at its center. She almost forgot that this thing had a GPS function.

"There. I've sent it to my fellow Rangers, too." She said. "Zappa, out."

"Alright then, see you later!"

The call ended with a beep, and Nepgear gestured for the twins to follow her, before she suddenly stopped in her tracks, and turned back to Uni.

"O-Oh, sorry! I forget that you still want to talk to me, before Zappa called us, hehe.." Nepgear put a hand to her forehead.

"No, it's fine." Uni replied. "We can talk about it, on the way to our hotel."

"Are we leaving now?" Ram shook the bags impatiently, and behind her, Rom let out a small yawn.

"I wanna sleep..."

"Don't worry, girls!" Nepgear assured them. "We've found a room for us to relax!"

"Yay!" the twins cheered simultaneously, followed by a "Let's go, let's go!" from Ram.

"A-Alright, just calm down..." Nepgear sweatdropped.

The party soon departed from the park, led by Nepgear, who was looking down at the GPS of her radio. The crowd went from a stream to a swarm, as they wandered further into the city, and every sector they passed seemed to be as busy as the market that Nepgear visited.

"So yeah, about the talk..." Uni broke the silence.

"Oh sure, what is it?"

"While we were waiting for you, we happened to run into someone."

"Huh?" Nepgear shot her a curious glance. "Who is it?"

"...Rei Ryghts." Uni mumbled, after a pause, and Nepgear's jaw dropped at the mention.

"R-Rei?!" She stuttered, and stopped dead in her tracks.

"Yeah..." Rom chimed in. "Miss Rei has a little sister. She's really nice!"

"W-What?! She also has a little sister?!" Nepgear exclaimed, with a bewildered look on her face.

"Her name's Lynxi. She's a really sweet girl," Uni smiled. "Rei, though..."

"She's a big meanie!" Ram puffed up her cheeks. "We're just trying to help Lynxi, and Rei got really mad at us! She even tried to beat us up, but Lynxi stopped her."

"Yeah, Rei is a nasty person in this dimension, too..." Uni groaned. "She has a soft side for her little sister, but still, she belittled us like we were beneath her."

"Oh dear..." Nepgear looked a little pale. "If Rei is the CPU of Tari, and she has a younger sister..."

"That means Tari has a CPU Candidate." Uni shook her head in disbelief. "Man, this dimension is really off the wall."

"It sure is, hehe..." She nervously chuckled. "Come on, we shouldn't be that far away from Zappa, right now."

They continued their walk, making their way through the districts, guided by the GPS, until they found themselves in front of a long bridge, across the river that separated the outer and inner rings of the city.

Tari bore an odd resemblance to the Planeptune of their home dimension, with rigid buildings that towered above the population below, their sharp tips piercing straight into the clouds.

The pathways around the bridge were getting quite compacted, to the point where it seemed like no vehicles could possibly squeeze through the narrow streets. The girls could see an elegant, dark blue monorail above them, snaking between the tall buildings like a giant vine.

Tari's capital city looked even more technically advanced than anything they had seen, because of the efficiency and cleaness of everything, unlike the messy, rough conglomerate of gears and wires that was Balarch's capital.

The streets around them were oozing with a delicate elegance, adorn by beautiful decorative lamps and tiles that were pleasing to the eyes. Below the bridge, the clear blue water flowed towards the distant horizon, carrying boats of various sizes—from simple tourist boats to cruise ships—with it.

"Woah..." Uni could only let out a single word of awe, as she leaned against the bridge railings.

_'Tari is surprisingly beautiful. Very different from how I've seen it before..'_ Nepgear thought to herself.

Once they crossed the bridge, and entered the populated inner districts, the buildings only got taller and larger, with numerous billboards, fancy signs and neon lights hanging on their exterior. The roads were much wider, too, enough to accommodate waves and waves of heavy traffic.

After a few more twists and turns, the radiophone let out a small beep. Nepgear checked the screen, and the icon was right in front of the red dot that marked their destination. She glanced up, and saw a medium-sized hotel, squeezed between two giant buildings.

"You guys made it." Zappa walked out of the entrance, and gave them a small clap. "With our tight budget, this is the cheapest place I could find."

"That's great." Nepgear smiled. "How about the others?"

"They're on their way." The ranger answered. "Now, let's bring those bags into our room, shall we?"

"Sure!"

* * *

The girls made their way into the room. In front of them was a small window, and they could see the half-open door of a small bathroom at the corner. The place was sparsely furnished, with the only furniture being a cabinet, an empty wooden shelf, and a small CRT TV above the table. There was only a single bed.

Nepgear set the bags down on the floor, as Rom and Ram hopped onto the comfy bed. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, and sat down on the edge of the bed, enjoying the cool breeze from the air-conditioner.

"So soft..." Ram purred, and buried her face into the large, soft pillow.

"Here's your snack, Uni." Nepgear handed her a bag of chips from the plastic bag. "It looks a little bland, but these are the cheapest ones I could find in that store."

"It's alright, thanks." Uni gave her a small nod, before she grabbed the bag. "Say, we'll be staying here, until the ships are fixed, right?"

"That's right." Zappa replied. "Don't worry about the single bed. I asked them to bring over some futons for the rest of us."

"Them?"

"The waitresses, of course." She clarified. "They are generous enough to agree to my request."

"Oh, thank goodness..." Nepgear smiled. "I thought we'd have to go on another shopping trip."

Uni found a remote control on the cabinet, and examined it with a small frown—the design looked so outdated. She pointed it at the CRT TV, and with a buzz, its screen flickered to life.

Unlike the television they were familiar with, the graphics were grainy and annoyingly blurry—not surprising for this piece of vintage technology. They just squinted a little harder at the screen, and continued watching the news.

"_After a brief respite, the Console War is back with a vengeance, as made evident by the fierce battle in the populated city center of Intellastion, several hours ago._"

"They're at it…again," Zappa rolled her eyes, as she sat down on the floor.

"_The current reports suggest that the battle took place within the inner districts of the city, and involved four CPUs, who began battling each other without any warnings, leading to widespread chaos and panic as the city government struggled to evacuate the citizens._" The newscaster continued.

"_The four CPUs are: Lady Sylvania, Lady Nakayama, Lady Odyssee, and an unknown CPU whose true identity is still under investigation._"

"What a bad spot they'd chosen..." Zappa sighed.

"Isn't it risky to start fighting anywhere inside the city, even if there aren't many people around?" Uni commented. "Jeez..."

"Must've let the thrill of battle get to their heads. Not like I could speak for them or anything." Zappa shrugged.

"Also, an unidentified CPU?" Nepgear frowned. "Is it really possible for someone to _not_ recognize a CPU?"

"That _could_ be possible, if the CPU had just come into existence, and her people were purposely keeping her away from the spotlights. But…considering the climate of the current Console War, it's pretty unlikely." Zappa said, before she realized something.

"Wait, how's the twins doing? They've been so...quiet."

"Oh, them?" Nepgear replied. "I was about to give them these gummies, but they, uh..."

Zappa glanced towards the bed, and saw the twins snoozing below the messy bed sheet, with only their heads poking out of the cover. From their ruffled hair and the goofy grins on their face, they must be quite exhausted.

"Alright then, guess you should leave them to their sweet dreams." Zappa chuckled, and took a can of soda out of the bag. "So, my fellow rangers seemed to be having some troubles with the delivery guy, and they messaged me for help."

"What are we going to do, then?"

"Just stay here until I get back, possibly with my team." The Ranger stood up, and moved towards the door. "If anything happens, I'll notify you through the radio. Got it?"

"Got it." Uni smiled.

"Good. I'll see you girls later."

The door closed behind Zappa with a light thud. The pair, now left alone inside the room, opened a pack of snacks and started munching on them.

"These shows look really bland." Uni had a bored look on her face, as she switched back and forth between several channels, before finally settling on one of them. "Oh wait, how about this one? _B-Team_?"

"Woah..." Nepgear's eyes lit up, after she caught sight of the newspaper lying on the table, and started flipping through its pages. "I hope one of the channels will play this _Exterminator_ movie!"

* * *

"They really aren't that bad!"

Lynxi had a sullen look on her face, as she followed Rei through the streets. Her sister had not made a single positive remark about the girls Lynxi encountered, ever since they left the city park.

"You've just met them, Lynxi." Rei lectured. "How could you trust these strangers?"

"Why do you think that everyone is out to hurt me?!" She pouted. "You always push me away from other people!"

"It's for your own good." Rei gently caressed her hair. "I'm afraid the world is getting more dangerous nowadays..."

"But they aren't even CPUs!" Lynxi retorted. "And I am a CPU Candidate, so I can defend myself!"

"I'm not sure if your powers are enough to defend yourself, though." Rei sighed. "Now, stop talking back to me, and let's head home."

"Talking back?!"

Before Lynxi could make more complaints, Rei grabbed her hands and started walking away. After pounding her fists on Rei's arm in a comically weak gesture of protest, Lynxi stopped struggling, and followed her sister.

They soon stumbled upon a group of police officers, wearing Tari's crest on their uniforms, who bowed down in unison at the sight of the two divine figures.

"Lady Rei Ryghts, and Lady Lynxi." The head of the group saluted them. "It is an honor to meet you."

"Of course." Rei smiled. "You have heard of what happened in Intellastion. I fear that such a menace might find its way into my nation, too."

"Huh?" Lynxi peeked out from behind her. "What do you mean?"

"Don't worry, milady." The man assured them. "After we were informed about the incident, we've already set up security checkpoints around the outskirts of Tari. No spies or unidentified CPUs can enter the nation undetected."

"What if they do it by force?"

"If they were regular spies, we'd have no problem disarming them. But CPUs, well…"

"Ha, that won't be your concern." Rei chuckled. "I'll intervene, and teach them a lesson. If you've spotted any CPUs within Tari's border, let me know about it."

"Yes, milady." He said. "I'll inform our superior, the moment we get back."

"Thank you. Now, my sister and I have something to do. So long."

The group of officers waved them goodbye, as they departed and headed towards a populated sector in the distance. Most of the pedestrians were children and younger teens, flooding in and out of the large building at its center. Numerous arcade machines could be seen inside its gate, below the flashing neon sign that hung above the building.

"Bushnell Gaming Theatre..." Rei readed out the words on the sign. "Do you want to play around here for a while?"

"Yeah!" Lynxi gleefully nodded.

Eagerly tugging her sister's sleeves, they entered the gate. The space inside was a lot larger than it looked from the outside, even with the huge crowds that gathered around the arcade machines.

The lavish decoration made it feel more like a luxury palace for the upper-class folks than a gaming center, despite the usual features like racing game booths and light guns. The variety of games, however, far exceeded anything that a regular arcade could offer.

"Welcome to the Bushnell Gaming Theatre, Lady Rei." The clerk welcomed them in, with a smile on her face. "We have a lot of kids playing inside the arcade, since it is holiday season. I hope there'll still be enough slots left."

"No worries." Rei replied. "What are the available slots?"

"Let me see..." The clerk checked over her computer.

"Aha! We got several arcade machines available in the backrooms, Lady Rei. These games are: Dug Dig, ZAPA-280, Exterminator 2: Judgement Day, and Galaxy Invaders. All are ready to be played. But if these aren't too appealing, then we can set up a special reserve for you."

"Well, what do you think?"

"Hmm..." Lynxi lowered her head. "I don't like these games."

"I understand, Lady Lynxi." The clerk nodded, and handed a piece of paper to her. "Then I'll make a reserve for you. You can pick any of them on this list."

"U-Uhh..." Lynxi looked a little overwhelmed, as her eyes beetled across the long list, until she caught sight of a specific name, and perked up."Oh! I'll play Ms. Wac!"

"Ms. Wac? Sounds good." Rei commented.

"Alright, Lady Lynxi," the clerk smiled, and started typing on her keyboard. "One slot of Ms. Wac placed for you. There are currently two slots reserved for that game, though, so you may need to wait a few minutes."

"Okay!" Lynxi nodded, before she turned back to Rei. "Sis, what should we do next?"

"We—" Rei's reply was cut short when her cell phone started ringing. She let out a groan when she took the phone out of her pocket, and saw the caller's name. Seeing Lynxi's confusion, Rei sighed, and patted her on the head.

"I'm sorry. Something urgent just comes up." She apologized. "While I'm busy with the call, you can go watch what the other kids are playing. This clerk lady here will keep an eye on you, just in case. Alright?"

"Alright."

"My pleasure, Lady Rei." The clerk gave her a deep bow.

Her gaze now fixated on her phone screen, Rei exited the gaming center in a brisk walk. Stopping right outside of the gate, she finally pressed on the answer button, and started speaking in a serious, cold voice.

"Yes, what is it?"

* * *

Astro was pacing back and forth around her ship in a circle, sounding more and more exasperated as she kept talking into her radiophone.

"What do you mean you can't send them over here?!" Astro yelled. "We've already bought the parts! We need them, right now!"

"Ma'am, I understand your frustration. But Tari's laws state that we're not authorized to deliver the materials you need beyond the city borders, unfortunately. You can still come over and carry the parts to your destination, if you want."

"Carry them? Entire engines and turrets and hull pieces? By hand?!" She raised her voice. "You're kidding, right?! We don't have any transport vehicles!"

"AB. Astro. That's enough." Estella sighed, grabbed the radiophone, and started talking. "So, I'm her friend. I'm sure we'll figure out a way. Until then, goodbye."

She hung up the phone, and handed it back to Astro, who facepalmed in silence and sat down on the grass, huffing. Galaxa poked her head out from behind her ship, and raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"Hey." She waved her wrench at them. "Any news?"

"They say they can't deliver the parts here, after we've already bought them!" Astro threw her hands up in the air. "Can you believe it?"

"Sheesh..." Galaxa sighed. "Guess that's the bad news. Any good news, then?"

"Zappa has found a hotel for us." Estella answered. "Since we're having some troubles with the delivery, I asked her to come back here."

"A-Are you sure? You're okay with leaving the girls in their room?"

"Yeah. They survive C-Grass's rampage in the market. I'm sure they can take care of themselves just alright."

"Well, if you say so..."

"Say..." Astro frowned. "If our delivery guys can't get out of the city, we aren't really gonna carry the parts here on foot, are we?"

"No. I'll tell you the plan later, once Zappa came back." Estella said, crossing her arms. "Your stunt in Balarch kinda inspires this idea."

"Huh?" Astro's confusion was met with a wink, and a cryptic smile.

"Okay, so..." Galaxa put down the wrench, and walked towards them. "Once we're done fixing our ships, where are we going next?"

"Hmm..." Estella pondered. "Probably rebuilding our base of operations, since we can't go back to the old hideout."

"But where? Not Balarch, obviously. There's no way we can stay under the radars now."

"From what I've heard, Tari has a lot of empty sectors around the outskirts, full of old, abandoned factories." She stated. "Remember when we interrogated that criminal, and he told us about the gangs there?"

"Oh yeah, that guy." Galaxa nodded. "These streets are probably choked with goons and all kinds of hooligans. Don't think the cops would look too closely, since we're no better than criminals in their eyes, too."

"Yeah, but how about Nepgear and her friends?" Astro asked. "Surely they aren't gonna stay with us for long?"

"They won't." The major said. "Though I'm not sure when they'll leave for Planeptune."

"Yeah. Guess we really shouldn't drag them into our messes any further." Astro's comment was met with a long silence, followed by multiple nods.

"True."

"Well, it's been a rough day..." Estella sighed. "Anyway, once Zappa gets here, let's talk about our plan and be ready to get it going. Our shenanigans might rub the city authorities the wrong way, but hey, that's all we're about, aren't we?"

"Well, you're the boss." Astro shrugged.

"What's up?"

Zappa's voice came from behind them, and when they turned back, she was sauntering towards them, with arms crossed. She took a deep breath, and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Goodness gracious, that's a much longer walk than I remembered..."

"Hey Zappa! Where's our hotel?" Astro asked.

"I've sent the precise address to Estella already." She replied. "It's in the inner sectors of Tari. I almost forgot how crowded these districts are."

"But you just called me recently." The major looked a little puzzled, and took out her radiophone. "When did you-?"

"On my way here." Zappa replied. "I wanted to call you earlier, but it took awhile for us to settle down and sort things out."

"I-I see.." Estella took one last look at the screen, and put it down. "Now that Zappa is here, let's talk about our plan."

"Since the delivery guys can't come to the outskirts, we'd have to go there and pick the parts up instead."

"And how are we supposed to get them back?"

"By air." Estella pointed at Zappa's ship. "Since Zappa's ship didn't take many hits in Balarch, we can use her ship to lift the parts up into the air. Galaxa, you still have the hooks and chains on your ship, right?"

"Right." Galaxa nodded, and disappeared into her ship.

"It's a delivery by air, then." Astro said. "But aren't we still breaking Tari's laws, flying our ships into the city without permission?"

"Yes. That's why we need to keep an eye on things, while we're at it." Estella answered. "But we can see their aerial patrol coming, with your handy gadget."

"So I'll have to stand guard?"

"Yup." She nodded. "Any questions, AB?"

"Nah, I think I got it," Astro gave her a thumbs-up. "Luckily, I still have enough spare electronic parts inside my ship. My ship's radar isn't strong enough to cover the entire city range, so I need some time to tinker with it."

"Copy that, Astro." Estella smiled. "Let's sort out the plans, while she's working."

"Galaxa will get the hooks ready, Astro is the watchman, and I'll be the pilot." Zappa mumbled.

"Exactly. Galaxa and I will attach the loads to the hook, before you lift them up and take off. I'm going to call our delivery guys, and tell them to start packing the parts into crates."

"I see, but what if we were caught?"

"Not happening." Estella shook her head. "I'm confident enough to say that us, the Rangers, will be able to pull this off."

"Doesn't really convince me, but alright." Zappa shrugged.

"I got the hook and the chains here!" Galaxa staggered out of the ship, holding a massive ball of metal chains in her arms. "Where do these go?"

"Under my ship's wings," Zappa gestured towards her jet. "It should be enough to support the packages' weight, if we balance them carefully."

"Alright then! But I don't know where to hook these..."

"Let me help you then." Zappa approached her. "It's my ship, after all."

"Thanks a bunch, Zappa."

The pair carried the giant ball towards Zappa's ship, the hooks on each end of the chains dangling behind them. Then, they crawled underneath the jet's oddly shaped wings, and started clamping the chains onto them.

"Huh, it's still early." Estella shifted her gaze away from her fellow Rangers, and glanced up at the sky. "While the gals are working, guess I need to call these guys again..."

* * *

The chirping of crickets could be heard, from inside the dark cave, now that the heavy rain had stopped. A girl with lilac hair peeked out of the cavern, and saw the clear blue sky above reflected in the puddles of water on the ground.

"Finally!" Neptune exclaimed, as she exited the cave, into the sunlight, with a smile. "That no-good rain is over!"

She looked down at the Hypercube in her arms. The tesseract's light was as dim as before, but it still let out a small chime when she gave it a gentle tap.

"Oh, you haven't gotten your shiny light back." Neptune frowned. "I thought a whole day would be enough to bring you back to normal..."

Behind her, Noire also walked out of the cavern, dragging a disgruntled Nakayama by the corner of her vest. She was no longer tied up in a cocoon of ropes, but her hands were still cuffed behind her back (thanks to Neptune's impressive collection of random items on her person).

"You know I can break out of these with ease, right." She shot Noire a dirty glare.

"Try that, and the Hypercube will pound you into the ground." Noire warned.

"Not while you are watching. I'll do it when I have the opportunity."

"Guys, can you please knock it off?" Neptune sighed. "You've been at this for the entire night!"

"As if I care..." Nakayama groaned.

"Now that I think about it, where are we? Are we just warped into a random forest?"

"If only little cubey was okay, it could've told us." Neptune pouted a little, as she looked up from the cube.

"Nakayama, do you know where we are?"

"No?" Nakayama shook her head. "And even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you! I've already given you information about Odyssee, so where's my reward?"

"Why, you—!" Noire was about to lunge towards her, before Neptune dragged her back.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Neptune put a hand to her shoulder. "Let's do this in a…friendly way, okay?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Of course she won't wanna help us. We haven't returned her favor, after she told us about that Odyssee girl."

"Yeah, like she didn't bring that up on her own..." Noire grumbled.

"Still," Neptune scratched her head, "in return, I think we should…uncuff her, and maybe she'll help us?"

"W-What?!" Noire gasped. "Are you crazy?!"

"Are you sure about that?" Even Nakayama raised an eyebrow at the suggestion.

"Yeah, totally, if you agree to help your new buddies out. Deal?"

"Pfft, sure, keep trying..." She rolled her eyes. "You forget that I've already promised _not_ to help you out."

"Huh, what's this?" Noire noticed the pistol sticking out of her skirt pocket, and snatched it away.

"W-Wha—?!" Nakayama spluttered. "That's my Zillion Blaster! Give it back! It's worth more than my entire deck of cards!"

"Eh? Why would you even bother to carry it around, if you don't even use it half of the time?" Noire peered at it.

"J-Just in case..."

A mischievous smirk appeared on Noire's face, as she playfully waved the pistol in front of Nakayama's face in a teasing manner.

"Oh, really?" She wiggled her eyebrow. "It would be a real shame if something happened to it."

"D-Don't you dare touch it!" Nakayama warned, though she sounded more scared than threatening. "I'm warning you!"

"Hmm?" Noire grinned, grabbed its barrel with one hand, and made a smashing gesture with her free hand. "I wonder what would happen if I—"

"No! Please don't!" Nakayama shrieked. "Fine! I'll agree to your stupid deal! Just leave my gun alone!"

"You promise?"

"Grr..." She growled. "Okay! I promise! Happy now?"

"Woah, that was quick..." Neptune muttered.

After a few more desperate nods from Nakayama, Noire uncuffed her in a deliberately slow manner. Finally free from her binds, she sighed in humiliation, but heaved a sigh of relief when Noire gave the pistol to Neptune, who put it inside her jacket pocket.

"So, ready to help?"

"Just cut to the chase already..." Nakayama grumbled.

"Alright, alright, I get it." Neptune sweatdropped. "So, since little cubey has warped us to the middle of nowhere, we don't really know where we are right now..."

"And the Hypercube can't exactly help us in this state." Noire pointed to the cube. "We are wondering if you could fly into the sky, and help us out?"

"So you want me to use my HDD, just to be your scout?" Nakayama raised her eyebrow. "Dear god, what am I doing..."

Taking a step back from the pair, a bright beacon of light soon engulfed her body, causing them to cover their eyes. When the light faded away, Lilac Heart was hovering above the ground.

"You should be glad that you have the Hypercube with you..." Lilac Heart gave them a dirty look.

"And you should be grateful that we're going easy on you," Noire retorted.

"Ugh, whatever!" She sneered, and took off.

Her silhouette quickly faded into a small black dot in the sky. For a moment, it almost looked like she was not coming back. Still, after a few minutes, she descended from the sky and landed in front of the pair, before reverting to her human form.

"So?" Neptune said. "Where are we exactly?"

"We're still in Intellastion," Nakayama answered. "We're just a few miles away from the main city."

"Alright then, guess little cubey hasn't taken us too far." Neptune shrugged. "Still, without little cubey, we can't use our HDD and fly to Balarch."

"Balarch?" Nakayama frowned at the mention. "Why would you two even go there?"

"Because that's where our sisters are," Noire explained. "We got separated after…the whole time travel thing."

"I see.. So you're only using the Hypercube to find your sisters? Not for power or anything like that?"

"That's pretty much it," Neptune nodded. "That's why we are flying away from Planeptune in the first place."

Nakayama put a hand to her chin, looking quite puzzled by their response, before she finally broke the awkward silence with a cough.

"You know what?" She smiled. "If that's the case, then I'll help you. You girls don't seem like a huge threat to me."

"What? All of a sudden, you're willing to help us out?!" Noire frowned.

"Yeah, with the power of the Hypercube in your hands, you can achieve anything, yet you decided to use it for such an...insignificant, but good cause. Not for power, just for your sisters."

"W-Well, it's not like we're looking for powers in the first place, hehe..." Neptune chuckled, scratching her head.

"I still want it for Planeptune, but I guess it can't hurt to let you use the Hypercube for a while." She continued. "Let's go and find your sisters."

"Yeah!" Neptune raised her hand up, for a small fistbump.

"But the Hypercube hasn't recovered yet." Noire reminded them. "How are we supposed to get to Balarch? Are you going to carry us there, in your HDD form?"

"Hey, I don't like giving people free piggy-back rides." Nakayama gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "But there's a dockyard in the outskirts of Intellastion, usually filled with commercial cruises. We can make our way over there, sneak onto a ship, and sail to Balarch."

"So we would sail our way out of the nation, then?"

"Exactly. Even with my HDD, I can't carry both of you at the same time."

"But what if that CPU found us again?"

"You mean Sylvania?" Nakayama rubbed her temple. "I'm not sure about her. What even happened to her…after that friend of yours knocked me out?"

"Hey, I was just defending myself," Noire scoffed. "And you're the one who started this mess."

"Whatever. We should probably keep a low profile, before she finds us again."

"Got it!" Neptunia cheerfully replied. "Lead the way, CPU of Planeptune!"

Nakayama gestured for them to follow her, and they started making their way through the woods, following the shallow dirt path in front of them. With the knowledge of their current situation, the pair quickened their steps, eager to get back to their sisters and friends before anything bad could happen to them.

* * *

After wandering through a cluster of blossoming trees, the trio found themselves in front of the huge arch, which formed the entrance of Intellastion's capital city. As per usual, they were seeing a lot of pedestrians, but the number of security guards and police officers had also drastically increased.

Newsboys were handing out papers to nearby strangers, seemingly for free, and Noire grabbed one when the boys walked past them.

"_Console War strikes the land of Intellastion._" Noire read the newspaper to her teammates. "_Mass panic ensues after the recent battle between four CPUs. With Lady Sylvania's approval, the government announces that Intellastion will enter a state of high alert, with increased security forces and mandatory curfew._"

"No wonder there's so many guards standing around..." Neptune frowned, and fidgeted with the Hypercube in her sleeves. "We can't let them see little cubey."

"Wait, Nakayama?" Noire looked back at her. "Wouldn't the people still recognize you, even in your human form?"

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot that," She shook her head, and reached into her pocket. "I hope you haven't accidentally broken it during our battle."

"Huh?" Noire tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes lit up in joy as she found what she was looking for, fished it out of her pocket, and put it on. It was a pair of glasses, coated in bright pink.

"Tada~" She smiled. "My disguise is ready!"

"Really?" Noire eyed it, with a deadpan expression. "You think that's going to work?"

"What? They say that wearing a pair of glasses will make you feel and look like a new person."

"Fine, whatever you believe..." Noire shrugged. "Anyway, we better find a way to hide the Hyper—Nakayama? What are you doing?"

They glanced across the street, and saw the CPU, with a bag of cinnamon rolls in her arms. After handing over a few bills to the vendor, she walked back to them, to their great confusion.

"Uh, why did you buy those?"

"What?" She gave them a funny look. "Not everyone can walk around all day on an empty stomach."

"I can attest to that, hehe..." Neptune chuckled. "Man, I really missed the taste of puddings..."

"Tough luck. I only have enough money for these." She handed over the cinnamon rolls to them.

"Thanks, but, uh, how do I eat without dropping little cubey?" Neptune shook the tesseract in her sleeves.

"Simple. Just put it in the bag." Nakayama held the plastic bag in front of her. "That way, nobody will notice the random teenager holding a godly weapon."

"Oh yeah! Great idea! But…is little cubey really alright with that?"

The Hypercube let out a weak, but vaguely delightful chime from inside her sleeves. Neptune grinned, and gently dropped it into the bag.

"Alright, little cubey!" Neptune gave it an encouraging pat. "You can count on us!"

With the Hypercube safely concealed, they marched through the crowded streets. Numerous wanted posters were plastered all over the building. Noire briefly stopped in front of a shop, full of old, bulky televisions broadcasting the same news, before shrugging and resuming her walk.

"Extra news! Extra news! Intellastion's authorities have just issued an official statement after Lady Sylvania's defeat!" Newspaper boys continued to hand out the papers around the crowd, many of which were dragging luggages behind them with a tired look on their faces.

"It's like Planeptune!" Neptune exclaimed. "During rush hours!"

"We must have destroyed most of the houses in that district, during our battle..." Nakayama sighed. "They are probably looking for a shelter to stay now. Guess I got a little carried away."

"Either ways, it would take a while for things to go back to normal..." Noire stated. "Anyway, is there a quick way to get through the crowds?"

"Of course." Nakayama pointed towards a shady alleyway between the buildings.

"Intellastion has a lot of alleyways, mostly to deal with the traffic during rush hours, and for emergency use. They are kinda… messy, though. Choked with garbage and trash. Gross, I know—so let's just make it quick."

"But is it safe?" Noire eyed the entrance suspiciously.

"I suppose so." She nodded. "If you're talking about random criminals lurking in the shadows, you still have me here."

"Hehe, guess we should take her word for it." Neptune said, scratching her back.

"Hmm, yeah." Noire agreed. "The less we show ourselves to the crowd, the better."

"That's right." Nakayama nodded. "Let's go."

Breaking into a short sprint, the trio ducked into the shadows of the buildings, and sneaked into the dark alleyway. Plastic wrappers and food scraps were lying all over the place, as they stepped over the puddles of water, taking great caution not to disturb the clothes hanging on the strings above them.

Neptune peeked into the nearby windows curiously, some lit by a dim light while others were concealed behind an opaque darkness. Everytime they emerged back into the streets, the surrounding seemed to resemble another city altogether.

"You sure you know where you're going?" Noire asked, which was met with a silent nod.

"Yes." Nakayama said. "I've been in Intellastion for a while now. Really took some time to familiarize myself with these routes."

"Really? But you're a CPU. How have they not recognized you yet?"

"Do you really need to ask?" She chuckled, and tapped her glasses.

"Of course, your disguise, hehe..." Neptune chimed in, looking a little awed by the surprising effectiveness of her gag joke of a disguise.

"Only a few more districts, and we should be at the docks."

"But how far do we have to walk, _exactly_?"

"Pretty far, I guess." She answered, and grabbed a cinnamon roll from the bag. "We should start eating, while we're at it."

"Okay then!" Neptune cheered, ready to munch on her cinnamon rolls.

While the girls continued to traverse around the narrow paths of the urban city, a group of officers in their grey uniform were having a casual conversation in a coffee shop nearby.

"You're not going to believe how I beat the devil out of it!" A cop laughed.

"Oh please, I can kick your butt single-handedly at that game." Another cop replied with a cocky grin.

"Hey, hey, fellas! Doesn't that little girl over there look a bit familiar?" One of them, leaning against the gate, turned back to the group, and pointed at the alleyway across the streets.

"The one in a parka jacket? Yeah, just like what the captain told us..." His teammates moved out of their seats, and gathered around him. "You! Call our captain, and we'll keep an eye on 'em, while you're at it!"

"Ay, ay, sire!"

* * *

"So, is Planeptune really that busy, compared to Intellastion?" Noire stopped looking at the crowd, and turned back to the team.

"Yeah." Nakayama answered. "Planeptune is a really busy nation, due to its influences. The nation has grown a lot in popularity, and I'm not really prepared to handle so many things at once."

"So you're still trying to take things under control, then."

"Exactly!" She frantically nodded. "When I founded Planeptune, I always thought it could never be as great as Tari and Magnabox, until suddenly, all these people are migrating into it, and it just grows larger and larger!"

"Oh yeah, it isn't easy being a CPU." Neptune gave her a sympathetic look. "Especially for a booming nation, with all these paperworks you have to work through..."

"That's because you are a lazy Goddess." Noire scoffed at her. "You're always slacking off, even though Histoire already does most of your paperwork for you."

"N-Nepu?! Hey! Why are you suddenly being so mean to me?!"

"I'm not." She shook her head. "I'm telling you the truth."

"Well, fine!" Neptune pouted. "No wonder you don't have that many friends, Lonely Heart!"

"W-What did you just say?!" Noire protested, and was about to give her a pinch on the cheek when Nakayama interrupted their bickering.

"Uh, guys? It's a bit of a weird question, but...how's your timeline like? As in, _our_ future?"

"Eh?" Neptune tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"What you two said back in the cave, it really bothers me..." She continued. "Neptune, you say you're the CPU of Planeptune, the same nation I rule over, right? How's it like in the future?"

"Oh, _my_ Planeptune? Well, uh..." Neptune scratched her head. "I wouldn't really want to spoil the details about our future, because…a secret is a secret!"

"At least you can make a broad summary?"

"Yeah, so here's how it goes..." Neptune cleared her throat. "In our present, Planeptune is big and beautiful and advanced, everything is super organized, there's no more stupid traffic jams, and all the buildings are so much taller than the ones in this timeline! It's just a great place where people can hang around and have fun!"

"Woah..." Nakayama gasped. "So my…no, our Planeptune has grown a lot, in the years to come?"

"Judging on what I've seen in this Planeptune, yes!"

"I see.." She mumbled, before she suddenly remembered something. "Oh! And how's the Console War? Are we victorious in our battles against the opposing CPUs?"

"Well, just so you know, our Console War has stopped."

"Stopped?" Nakayama frowned. "As in, no one rules over the whole Gamindustri? After all these years of fighting between CPUs, it just suddenly…stops?"

"That's right." Noire nodded. "We've realized that maybe being the sole ruler of Gamindustri isn't worth the trouble, after all. You said that CPUs can't be friends with each other, but you're wrong. Neptune and I are both CPUs, yet we are also friends. All four of us are friends, really."

"So, that means…" She paused, seemingly at a loss for words. "Your Gamindustri is in a state of peace and tranquility, and the CPUs of each nation still stand on their own, but all of you are...friends?"

"Not so sure about the 'tranquil' part, but pretty much." Neptune chuckled. "That's how our world works."

"Woah..." She whispered, with a dream-like look in her eyes. "Man…I wish I can see that future for myself."

"Yeah, I hope you can, too!" Neptune cheered. "And once we manage to find our way back to the future, I wish the best of luck to you in running Planeptune."

A small smile appeared on Nakayama's face, and she fell silent, seemingly absorbed in her thoughts about the possibility of a such a different, yet fascinating future. Noire could not help but smile a little, too—she understood the struggle of a CPU in administering a busy, flourishing land, and the desire to work for the betterment of one's nation, despite the former animosity between them.

They soon reached the end of the alleyway, and were about to head into the new district in front of them when a group of officers in uniform appeared out of nowhere, and blocked their path forward.

"Hey!" Noire exclaimed. "Let us go! What's your deal?"

"You, girl with the parka dress." Their leader pointed at Neptune.

"Huh? Me?" Neptune squeezed out an awkward grin, as she pointed at herself.

"Yes. You and your associates—" they gestured to Noire and Nakayama, "—are coming with us, under the order of Lady Grey Sister."

"Grey Sister?"

"Lessa..." Nakayama narrowed her eyes.

"What if we don't want to?" Noire crossed her arms.

"There are no other options, lady..." One of them snickered, and the entire squad drew their black batons.

"Dang it..." Noire took a step back. "Is little cubey okay right now?"

"No, not yet..." Neptune frowned as she looked down into the bag. The light of the cube was still faint and barely visible.

"Then we better start running!"

Before they could do anything, another squad of officers appeared behind them, and they were pinned between the two groups, who were moving closer and closer.

"Surrender now!" They demanded in unison. "In the name of Lady Grey Heart!"

"I guess it's time for me to intervene, then." Nakayama sighed, before she took off her glasses.

"L-Lady Lilac Heart?!" The officers shrieked in surprise.

"Don't let her move an inch! Attack!"

Before they could strike her with their weapons, Nakayama summoned her deck of cards, creating two shields on both sides. While they were struggling to bash through the magical barriers, Nakayama flicked her wrist, and the barriers shot forth, knocking the officers down like a row of dominos.

"Come on!" She urged the pair. "Let's bail!"

"Got it!" They responded with a nod, and started sprinting, right before a third squad arrived at the scene. The trio made a run for it through the messy alleyways, the officers chasing after them in hot pursuit.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_Lynxi _represents the handheld game console as **Atari Lynx** _(1985-1995)_.

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreader & Editor


	12. Payload

_\- Lowee_

Within the dockyard of Lowee, people were handing out their ID to the spear-wielding guard, before they boarded the wooden ships. Behind the fences, workers were moving back and forth as they carried numerous crates into the cargo hold. It was at this moment that a truck arrived in front of the gate, and a couple of guards ordered the driver to halt.

"May I see your ID?" The guard requested.

"Sure," smiled Namco as she tipped her cap, and held out a card. "Nakamura Delivery Company, at your service! Have to crunch all night because my clients need the supplies delivered early. So, cut us some slack, will ya'?"

"And what are these 'supplies'?" The guard raised his eyebrow.

"Just a bunch of toys for kids, that's all. If you still have any doubts, why not check it yourself?"

The guard gestured at his coworkers, who started inspecting the back of the truck. After seeing the bundle of crates, and several girls in rough, ill-fitting worker uniforms, they stepped in and opened the nearest crate. Then, they exited the truck, and reported to the guard outside.

"There's nothing but toys at the back!"

"I see..." mumbled the guard. "Well, off you go. You know the rules."

"Absolutely!" Namco nodded, and gripped the steering wheel just a little tighter.

The wooden gate opened with a loud creak, and the truck entered the dockyard. Puddles of mud were everywhere, and, after carefully squeezing through the narrow paths, Namco finally parked the vehicle under a roof, jumped down, and banged on the truck.

"Alright girls, you can come out now! You know the drill!" Namco exclaimed. "Let's grab the package and get it onto the ship, before it sails away."

"Got it!" IF nodded. "Origin, could you help me out with this?"

"Gladly, my fellow adventurer!" The knight gave her a dramatic bow.

"Also, don't forget the other crates." Namco added. "We'll be dead if they start getting suspicious. Lowee's custom laws are pretty strict."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Blanc sighed, as she lifted up the smaller crates, "Better safe than sorry, right?"

"I'm also fine with it." Vert smiled. "We're so close to escaping from Famika's wrath. Just bring them onto the ship, and we're done here."

"Though I noticed there're a lot more patrols around..." Sir-Tech whispered. "Shouldn't let our guard down."

"Right, there's no time to waste! Let's move it!"

After taking down the last few crates from the truck, the group started moving towards the ship. Sir-Tech and Origin were carrying their most important package, with a hidden passenger inside, while the rest trailed behind them. Slowly and carefully, Namco led the girls around the guard posts, and for a while, the only sound was the clatter of toys inside their crates.

"H-Hey! Are we there yet?" Yokoi's nervous whisper broke the silence.

"Not yet, Sir Yokoi!" Origin answered in a hushed voice. "Shush, please. We're almost there!"

"O-Okay..."

Squeezing their way through a crowd of similar workers, they finally stopped in front of the ship, and the girls let out a collective sigh of exhaustion as they set the crates down on the cold steel floor of the cargo hold. After wiping the sweat off her face, Namco stood back up.

"Phew! As long as you girls stay on this ship and don't do anything stupid, you'll be out of Lowee in no time!"

"Well, yeah..." IF smiled. "Thanks for helping us."

"Not at all!" Namco responded with a thumbs-up. "I guess it's time to say goodbye, then."

"Mhm." Compa nodded, "Take care, Namco!"

"Thanks, and good luck to you girls! Just keep an eye out for—"

Before she could finish her sentence, a huge group of guards entered their view. They split up into two groups, and as one group surrounded the cargo hold, the other rushed onto the deck, and started barking for all passengers to get out of the ship.

"Hey!" Blanc scowled. "What the hell is your problem?!"

"For a bunch of dirty kidnappers and spies, you sure are impudent..."

A voice echoed through the air. The guards moved aside, revealing a familiar figure in red, decorative kimono, her huge _naginata_ out and ready.

"Famika?!" The girls gasped.

"I've only wished to take care of the foreign CPUs that trespassed into my land. But, the moment you dragged my younger sibling into this mess, you made it _personal_." Famika glared at them, her crimson eyes seething with fury.

"W-Wait, milady!" Namco stepped forward. "There's gotta be a misunderstanding!"

Before she could continue, Famika grabbed her by the neck, and dragged her up. As she watched Namco struggle to free herself, choking from her tight grip, there was nothing but a vengeful coldness on Famika's face, a stark contrast to her usual feminine grace. Even her own guards looked a little uncomfortable, and unwittingly backed away from her.

"Misunderstanding, you say...?" She narrowed her eyes. "Manipulating my little brother into setting you free, and trying to take him away from me? No. I think I understand it perfectly. I wouldn't be surprised if you are going to blackmail me, using him as a bargaining chip."

"Leave her out of this!" IF yelled. "She has nothing to do with our mess!"

"Oh, I know. This girl is not, in any ways, involved in your criminal acts." Famika sighed, and finally let go of Namco, who knelt onto the floor, gasping and coughing. "After all, a certain witness did confirm that she didn't wish to help at first, but caved in under your threats."

"Wait? Threatening Namco? What are you talking about?" IF frowned.

The CPU stepped aside, revealing another familiar figure in sailor uniform.

"Bandai?!"

"Bandai..." Namco closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, everyone." Bandai sighed, and lowered her head. "It just doesn't feel…right."

"W-Wait!" IF gritted her teeth. "But she-!"

Before IF could blurt out anything, Compa put a hand to her mouth, and, as IF glanced back at her in confusion, the nurse responded with a shake of her head.

"C-Compa?!"

"Please, Iffy." Compa frowned. "We can't..."

IF stopped struggling, and gave her a solemn nod. In return, Compa let go of her. She understood what her friend meant—as much as she did not like this situation, they could not endanger the pair, and little Tekken, any further.

"Now..." Famika continued, "You should be aware that I have something more important in mind than just capturing you. _Where. Is. Yokoi?_"

"What are you going to do to him?" Blanc retorted. "Punish him for freeing us?"

"Oh dear...Is that how you think of me?" She frowned, shaking her head, "A cruel sister who mistreats her own sibling? Of course not! As I said before, I care about Yokoi, and understand his sympathy for you girls, but he's too young to realize the graveness of our situation..."

The emotion drained from her face, as she spun her naginata in a wide circle, before its blade cut into the steel floor, leaving a huge crack that was only inches away from the girls. Then, she raised the weapon again, and pointed it at them.

"I wouldn't say this again. Where is my younger brother?"

After frantically glancing around, Blanc quickly grabbed a crowbar on the floor, while Vert picked up a steel rod from the top of the nearest crate. The rest of the girls slowly moved away from them—when Namco tried to lunge forward, Bandai and the guards pulled her back, and she could only helplessly watch from the side.

"Guess we can't get away without a fight, Blanc," Vert sighed.

"Heh, I've been waiting for this moment!" Blanc smirked, as she readied her crowbar, and charged forward.

Bringing her crowbar down in multiple overhead strikes, Blanc's assault was ruthless and forceful, but Famika easily blocked the attacks with minimal efforts.

"Strength like this far exceeds anything a regular human could attain." Famika said, looking quite impressed. "You really are a CPU."

"Shut up!"

Right after Blanc screamed out the two words, with a backhand swing of her naginata, Famika knocked the crowbar away, before delivering a swift kick to her stomach, sending her flying backwards. Seeing her companion coughing in pain, Vert quickly rushed to her side and helped her up.

"Blanc, are you alright?!"

"Damn that bitch..." Blanc groaned. "With that speed, I can't even touch her!"

"I'll handle it for you then."

Vert walked towards her foe in stride, and, despite the shabby plainness of her makeshift "spear", she still got into an elegant, proper stance.

"I would stand back if I were you."

"My, my, are you underestimating me?" Vert scoffed, as she flawlessly spun her weapon, "I may not be able to transform nor materialize my weapon, but I still have the skill of a master spearman.

"A simple spear is not enough to overpower my naginata."

"Is that so?"

The pair slowly circled around each other, their weapons out in a tight grip. Famika was the first to strike, with a forceful overhead slash. Vert dodged to the side, and, as the blade came at her once again, she deflected it with the steel rod. Seeing an opening, she quickly moved forth, and stabbed the rod into Famika's waist.

"G-Gah!" Famika cried out and stumbled back, nearly dropping her weapon.

"You can't be more wrong about that." Vert had a confident grin on her face, as she marched towards her foe.

"Please stop!" A shriek came from inside a nearby crate. "Don't hurt her!"

"Y-Yokoi?" Famika frowned. "Where are you?! Let him out, right this instant!"

"There's no point..." Sir-Tech sighed.

"Huh? What do you mean?" IF turned to look at her.

"They can't win. Not without their full powers—"

A bright light enveloped Famika's body. When it faded away, her kimono was replaced by a white _cheongsam_, and her hair changed into a snowy white color. The naginata also shifted into a large, silver _quandao_, with a dragon carved onto its handle and blade, and the wound on her waist was regenerating at a visible speed.

"What the-!"

Vert's yell was immediately cut off by a sweep of the glaive. She raised her steel rod in time to block it, but the immense force still pushed her back.

"T-Tch.." Vert winced, feeling the dull pain and numbness in her palms at the impact.

"—Especially against her Ivory Heart form." Sir-Tech finished her sentence.

"I don't think we can hold this any longer..." Vert grimaced, and looked back at Blanc.

"It's better than going down without a fight!" Blanc stood up, supporting herself with her crowbar. "Come on, we'll do this together!"

"It's no use. You can't win without your HDD. Why do you even bother?" Famika shook her head. "I could've made it quick if you surrendered. Either way, I shall grant your death wish."

"Guess there's only one choice now..." With a deep sigh, Sir-Tech unzipped her uniform jacket, revealing the tome strapped to her belt.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Origin frowned.

With a flick of her wrist, the tome hovered into the air, and a blue light was gathering around it, growing brighter and brighter. While the girls and Famika were still staring at this strange sight, the guards scurried out of the cargo hold as they saw Sir-Tech's glowing eyes.

"_TILTOWAIT_!"

A tremendous explosion erupted as she uttered the word, shaking the entire ship. The shockwave threw everyone out of the cargo hold, and onto the shore. As they got back up, amongst the fleeing passengers and workers, they saw the giant hole on the hull. In a matter of seconds, water was rushing into the cargo hold, and to their horror, the remaining crates were sliding into the sea.

"Wah!" A scared scream came from inside the last crate, as it tumbled off the fast-sinking ship.

"The box!" IF's eyes widened as she rushed to the shore, and saw the crate half-submerged in water. "Sir-Tech?! Can you use your spell to levitate it?!"

"I-I'm sorry, IF." Sir-Tech shook her head, panting. "I've used up all my magic in one go."

As people fled from the dock in a panic, Namco and Bandai helped each other up, watching the ship sink further and further down, still smoking and sparkling from the aftermath of the explosion. The moment Namco heard the screams coming out from one of the floating crates, she tried to jump down, but was stopped by her companion.

"Namco, no!" Bandai exclaimed. "You can't do it! It's too dangerous!"

"The CPU Candidate is stuck inside that crate! I have to do something!" Namco struggled out from her arms, scowling. "After all, I'm the one who thought up this stupid plan!"

"Hang in there, Sir Yokoi!" Origin was the first to dive into the water. "I'll free you from the crate!"

Namco soon followed, jumping into the water and making a beeline for the crate. Together, they grabbed onto it, and tried to pull the wooden panel off, but it would not bulge.

"H-Help!" Yokoi's cries were getting weaker, as he banged on the wooden panel.

"Curse you, vile crate!" Origin yelled, and turned to Namco. "Pull harder!"

"I'm trying!" Namco retorted, before letting out a huge sneeze from the cold. "The crate is upside-down! We couldn't open it from this side! It's stuck!"

"Get out of my way!" Famika also leaped down, shoved the other girls away, and grabbed onto the crate. "Yokoi! I'll bring you out!"

"M-Milady?!"

"B-Big sis..."

Two more splashes came from behind her, and when she looked back, Blanc and Vert were also swimming in this direction. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight.

"What are you doing?" She shot the pair a fierce glare.

"Saving your little brother, duh!" Blanc answered, as she swam towards the crate. "Even at this point, you still think we're up to no good?! Bloody hell!"

"He freed us, after all." Vert said. "If we were truly your enemies, then we could've ran away and left him here."

"W-What?"

"Just listen to us, damn it!" Blanc gritted her teeth. "I don't know what the hell is up with your paranoia, but we aren't evil! I still don't like you for beating me up back then, but there's no way I'd let him drown, especially after he saved us!"

"We're really not as terrible as you imagined, Famika." Vert shook her head. "Just please, give us a chance..."

Famika paused for a second, still gripping onto the crate, eyeing them with a mix of suspicion and awe. Finally, she sighed, and responded with a tired smile.

"Alright..." She mumbled. "Help me pull this crate open."

"Got it," Blanc nodded, and grabbed onto the side of the crate, together with Vert.

With them holding the crate still, Famika took a deep breath. The crate was almost entirely submerged into the water, and not a single sound was coming from inside. With a single "Now!" from Famika, the three started pulling at the panels in unison, and the crate broke apart, causing the toys inside to flood out.

"Yokoi!" Famika cried, and pulled Yokoi into her arms in a tight embrace. His eyes were squeezed shut, but he was still breathing.

The guards, now that the chaos had died down, began to hesitantly approach the site again. Namco and Origin had already gotten back onto the shore, and, still shivering in their wet uniforms, they pulled Blanc and Vert up from the water. Once Famika had reached the shore, with the young Candidate in her arms, the remaining girls rushed towards her.

"Yokoi!" Compa put a hand to his forehead, and started examining him for injuries.

"Is he okay?" IF grimaced at the sight.

"Fortunately." Famika nodded. "He's unconscious, but he's breathing just fine.."

"Oh, thank goodness..."

"M-Milady!" Origin shook the water out of her hair, and turned to Famika. "How's thy brother?"

"He's okay for now." IF replied. "But we should really get him into a dry, warm place."

"Indeed." Famika nodded, before giving Sir-Tech a displeased look. "It wouldn't have happened, if you..."

"I'm sorry, Lady Famika," Sir-Tech closed her eyes, and made a bow. "That's the only way I could stop you..."

"I understand, Sir-Tech. It was fortunate that he's not seriously wounded..."

"Lady Famika!" A high-ranking samurai ran through the gate of the dockyard, followed by an entire squadron. "We've come here as fast as possible, after hearing the explosion!"

The soldiers immediately surrounded the girls, their spears and blade aimed right at them in a battle stance. They left Namco and Bandai alone, however, who were standing right next to Famika.

"Milady, what should we do with these criminals?" He asked. "Imprison them? Execute them?"

"No," she shook her head in response. "For now, the wellbeing of the CPU Candidate should be the utmost concern."

"I understand your concern, Lady Famika, but these criminals have assaulted our men back in the forest. We can't just let them go free!"

The girls were holding their breath, as they anxiously waited for Famika's decision. Compa was clutching IF's palms tightly, with a frightened look on her face. Origin lowered her head, looking absolutely mortified, and her wizard companion patted her on the back in an unexpected gesture of comfort.

"P-Please..." At this moment, Yokoi opened his eyes, and begged in a weak voice. "Don't hurt them..."

"Yokoi?" Famika hugged him even tighter, and whispered in a low voice. "Don't try to talk..."

"Just please…don't."

His older sister sighed as she gently patted his head, smiling, before she turned to the guards.

"Stand down," she said. "There's no need to stay in your battle formation."

"Stand down!" The leading samurai ordered, and his subordinates lowered their weapons.

"Despite your heroic effort to save the CPU Candidate, you have harmed my people, and I can't let that go unpunished. Therefore, except for Namco and Bandai, I shall exile all of you from Lowee."

"Exile? Are you sure about that, Lady Famika?" The samurai scratched his head.

"It is what my brother wishes," she calmly answered, "and if that's what he wants, I shall respect his decision."

"I-I see..." The samurai mumbled, before he turned back to the squadron. "Very well then, prepare the ship! We'll send these criminals back to the mainland!"

The men quickly sprung into action, and before long, they were cleaning the debris from the harbor and making way for another steel ship. The group watched on, ordered to remain at the dockyard until they were ready to sail, and it was at this moment that Namco and Bandai approached them.

"So..." Namco sweatdropped. "I guess this is it, huh?"

"Yeah, it sure is a wild ride." IF chuckled. "I hope we'll meet again some days."

"Under better circumstances, I suppose." Bandai laughed, and gave her a pat on the back. "Best of luck to you girls!"

"Phew, I'm glad the whole fiasco is finally over!" Origin sighed in relief. "Finally, we can go back to our normal—"

"Hold it right there," A guard interrupted her. "You are _also_ supposed to be exiled."

"W-What?!" Origin gasped. "That's a grave Injustice! A stain to my honor! A—"

"Your knighthood won't help us get out of this one." Sir-Tech stated flatly.

"S-Shut it, you!"

Just as the two started arguing again, Famika approached them, her clothes still dripping wet, but there was a genuine smile on her face.

"Even with all the troubles you girls had stirred up in Lowee, I won't forget your kindness towards my brother."

"O-Oh!" IF blushed a little, as she waved her hand. "It's nothing, Lady Famika! We appreciate him for helping us...against your will."

"It's nothing to worry about, in fact, I understand his intentions. I'm just so stressed out from this war, I'm...seeing enemies when there is none."

"What makes you go all out on us, then? From what I see, isn't Lowee isolated from the rest of the nations and their wars?" Blanc scowled, still looking a little disgruntled.

Her question was met with an uncomfortable silence, and there was a deep grief in Famika's eyes. Yokoi, still huddled in a thick blanket, ran up to her and grabbed her hands.

"Our sister left." Yokoi explained. "She said she was going to fight the other CPUs, for Lowee's future..."

"My, Yokoi, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself." Famika embraced him, once again.

"Ever since the death of our predecessor, I, Yokoi, and Nesha are left to fend for ourselves, until the Second Console War begins. And Nesha always dreams of bringing Lowee out of its isolation, and turning the nation into another great power in Gamindustri."

"Wait, I thought the conflict is between the traditions and modernization of the land?" IF interrupted her speech.

"Oh, it absolutely is. But it's not just about technological advances. It's far more than that." Famika shook her head. "We've been arguing about it for so long. Eventually, I just let her go off on her own, to fulfill her ambition. But our family just isn't the same, after her departure."

"We only have each other now." Yokoi added.

"Oh..." IF averted her gaze.

"We're sorry for asking you that, Lady Famika!" Compa frowned, and made a deep bow.

"It's fine!" Famika gestured for her to stop. "It's all in the past. As long as we are together, there's still a family, waiting for her to return."

"That's really heartwarming!" The nurse smiled. "I hope that one day, your sister can reunite with you and Yokoi!"

"How sweet of you, even if you're being exiled from this land..." Despite the awkward look on her face, Famika still let out a hearty chuckle.

"Now, it's unfortunate that it has to be this way, but I can't make leeways for you, once the order is given. Once your boat leaves the shore, you'll never be allowed to come back again. Do you have any farewell to say, before your departure?"

"Not really," Sir-Tech replied. "Still, it's a pity that I didn't get to participate in the magic contest."

"What?" The whole group gave her a weird look.

"O-Oh, you still remember that, even after the...recent incidents? I see..."

"Ehh, anyway..." Origin cleared her throat, before she announced, "We sure had a fantastic adventure together, and it's a blast to be around thee, my sweet companions! Sadly, our great journey in Lowee has come to an end, but still, I'm glad to meet so many new faces!"

"It's a lot to take in, that's for sure." IF chuckled, scratching her head. "So much trouble, just to find Lady Blanc and Lady Vert."

"Yep," Compa nodded. "I'm glad it's over."

"I guess we'll have more to see, when we reach the 'mainland'." Blanc wondered. "Would take a while to find everyone else, though."

"Everyone else?" Origin repeated the words.

"We have...other companions. But they're travelling separately." IF shrugged. "So, you two are coming with us?"

"There isn't really a choice, so yes, my fellow adventurer!" Origin smiled. "It's a shame that I have to leave my luggages behind..."

"I'll come along too," Sir-Tech also joined in. "That way, I'll have more opportunities to carry out my studies."

"Not anywhere near people, I presume?" The knight glared at her.

"Maybe, just maybe..." She made a dismissive wave.

Right at that moment, the guards called out to them, and gestured for them to get onto another ship, coming into the harbor. The girls were led towards the massive ship, its shadow casting over them under the morning sun.

"Alright, start moving, you criminals." The spearman ordered. "Under Lady Famika's order, you are sent to be-"

"Okay, exiled, we get it," Blanc groaned, as she walked past the guards.

"Uh, may I ask you about our destination?" Vert stopped briefly in front of the guard.

"Unspecified," They replied, "the moment we see land, that's when we'll drop you off."

"Couldn't you at least get us to an actual dock? Jeez..." Blanc sighed.

"We're not a cruise ship."

"Don't worry about it," Origin assured them. "Despite our differences, as great adventurers, Sir-Tech and I have one thing in common!"

"What does that even mean?"

"Oh, We've ventured to many parts of Gamindustri!" The knight made a dramatic wave. "From Planeptune to Lowee, the deepest dungeons to the highest peaks, it's not that hard for us to find our way, even without a map!"

"That sounds like an...explorer, not an adventurer?" Compa gave her a curious look.

"Hey, adventure is about bettering thyself and helping people too. It's not just discovery! Wherever they're going to drop us, I'm sure we'll figure out a way in no time."

"Really? Well, that's great then," IF smiled, impressed. "You must have travelled a lot to acquire that skill."

"Hehe, that's right!" The knight chuckled. "It took me-"

"Actually, I've done her work for her," Sir-Tech sighed. "A simple spell can map out our surroundings in an instant."

"W-Wha?!" Origin gasped, "Why do you-?!"

"Lying about your mistakes isn't what a _noble_ knight would do, is it?" She raised an eyebrow. "I remember that _Honesty_ is one of the virtues you swear to uphold. Really, I expect better from you."

"O-Oh, my fellow sorcerer!" Origin frantically waved her hands. "Thou must temper the virtues with a sense of humor, too, and there's no need to fret over something so silly!"

"I don't find it funny though." The nurse naively responded.

"I-It's just-!"

"Hey! Aren't you finished yet?" The guard banged their spear on the deck impatiently. "We don't have all day! Hurry up!"

"It's a pleasure to be with you, girls," Famika smiled, and bowed in their direction. "It's a shame that it has to end on...such a sour note."

"Y-Yeah." Vert let out an awkward chuckle. "At least we make peace in the end."

"We hope we'll meet you again some days!" Compa waved back at her.

"Me too."

Famika nodded, and the girls walked onto the ship. In a couple of minutes, the ship began to move. As the ship sailed away from the harbor, towards the distant horizon, they caught one last sight of Famika, holding Yokoi in her arms, accompanied by Namco and Bandai, before their silhouette disappeared behind the blue waves.

* * *

_\- Underground, Tari_

Linda had a bored look on her face, as she strolled through the large tunnels, with Warechu tagging along her side. Duchess and her teammates had given them no orders, training or tasks so far, leaving them with plenty of time to wander around the underground base.

"So..." Warechu turned to her, after a while. "How is it, chu?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"That chump with a pair of shades. What did she say?"

"Oh, you mean that freak?" She groaned. "She never apologizes for _that training_. Just talked about some test results and crap."

"What results, chu?"

"Well, not like she told me. She did say something..." Linda shrugged, "...about that wannabe clone, Erich. Probably gonna do the whole _training_ again, but with that punk watching me this time."

"Huh? Why, chu?"

"Because that punk thinks I'm not for the show yet!" Linda huffed. "Well, at least Duchess wants me in, but their system is stupid. Not really sure about Ranger and Gordea."

"Well, considering how you met each other, I'm sure she wouldn't have a good impression of you, chu." Warechu sweatdropped.

"Well, duh."

With a rusty creak, a metal door suddenly opened in the distance, and light shone through from the inside. Warechu quickly ducked behind Linda, who drew her pipe and got into a stance, ready to beat down whatever thing that emerged from the door. It turned out to be a familiar face, however.

"Huh?" Linda frowned. "Flynn?"

The nun slammed the door shut with a bang. She was holding a rabbit plushie with one arm, and dragging a big plastic bag behind her—the pair couldn't see what was inside. For a while, she just stood there in silence, giving them this thousand-yard stare, which was made even more uncanny by the plushie.

"The hell are you holding?" Linda broke the silence, frowning. "You look like a kid with that stupid toy."

"You have a problem with that?" She retorted, in a cold voice.

"Uh n-no, chu!" Warechu sweatdropped. "We're just wondering what you were doing behind that door..."

"None of your business," Flynn scoffed.

"You always said that." Linda stated, with a deadpan expression.

"Whatever it is, I don't care. Go away and leave me alone."

"Is it just because I'm new in the squad? At least I don't go around ignoring the others like a pathetic loser!"

In a split second, Flynn's shotgun slid out of her sleeves, and she fired into the ceiling. Dust and paint chippings rained down on the pair, who had fallen into shocked silence, as they stared into the barrel of the gun, now pointed at them. The nun's empty stare became almost sinister, at this moment.

"No. You don't know me." She said, her voice as soft as ever. "Not even my own squad knows me."

"W-What?" Linda stuttered.

"But really..." She sighed, lowering her shotgun and putting it back into her sleeves. "What's even the point of getting friendly with me? You two will only stay here for a couple of days, anyway."

Lifting the bag up, she walked towards the dark tunnel beyond. Suddenly, she stopped her steps and gave the pair one last death stare.

"Don't ever bother me again." That was the last words she uttered, before she disappeared into the darkness.

The echoes of her footsteps soon faded away, until only complete silence remained. Terrified, the pair's knees gave out from under them, and they sat onto the floor.

"T-That punk..." Linda mumbled. "Why am I even scared of her?!"

"Jeez..." Warechu took a deep breath. "I have a bad feeling about following her, chu.."

"To hell with that stupid punk!" Linda gritted her teeth, and stood up from the ground. "I'm going to-!"

"Hey, hey, what's with the hassle?" Duchess's voice came from behind them. "I heard a gunshot that sounds a little familiar. Did you guys, by any chance, piss Flynn off?"

"We're just trying to ask her a question, and she pulled the trigger on us!" Linda huffed. "What the hell is her problem?"

"Hey, Linda girl." Duchess put a hand to her shoulder. "It's best _not_ to ask personal questions when it comes to strangers, y'know?"

"But she's-!"

"-part of the squad?" Duchess finished the sentence. "Totally, but she's always this grim and distant, even to us. I believe she has her heart for the A-Squad, though!"

"Even though she literally tells you nothing about herself?"

"Linda~" Duchess chuckled, as she nudged the delinquent's head with her bare fist. "We don't care about all those pesky personal issues. All we care about is going out, guns-a-blazing, and putting on a good show for those standing in our way! Flynn is a great teammate, in that regard, and it's not like she'll just backstab us after spending such a long time in the squad."

"I still don't like her. Way too trigger-happy..." Linda mumbled.

"Oh c'mon, Linda! She won't blast your head off, unless you're a demon!" Duchess laughed. "She may be quiet, well...too quiet, really, but I can assure you that she'll eventually warm up to you!"

"Whatever you say, Duchess." Linda sighed.

"Now then, do you happen to be busy…?"

"Not really," Linda shook her head. "I'd say we have too much free time."

"Ah, that's great!" Duchess smiled, "See, I, Ranger, and Gordea are working our butts off, trying to fix our nifty armaments. The training ground is still an absolute mess, and it's not like we can hire a janitor down here."

"W-What?! You want me to do the cleaning?!"

"Duh," Duchess snickered, and threw her hands up in the air. "Can't have you two relaxing 'round while we're all doing our jobs. So buckle up, and grab that broom around the corner!"

"Hey, what about Erich and Flynn?!" Linda retorted.

"Hasn't seen Erich since our little...scuffle back there, and Flynn's off doing her own stuff again. I don't have the time to look for them, so quit whining and get it going already, Linda girl."

After patting Linda on the shoulder, Duchess adjusted her shades, and pointed towards the corridor beyond.

"The broom's simply 'round the corner. Move ahead and you'll see two paths. Turn right, and you should find it in no time!"

"Got'cha," Linda rolled her eyes. "Come on, Warechu. Let's get this stupid job over with."

"Okay, chu."

As the pair walked away, the rowdy gunslinger stayed behind, eyeing them from a distance away. When they had finally moved out of sight, she pulled a radiophone out of her pocket, and pressed down on the call button.

"Sup," she said, her voice a little more serious than usual. "They're on the move."

* * *

The pair continued to walk through the tunnel, barely lit by the row of fluorescent lights above.

"Why did they have to keep the broom around this tunnel?" Linda groaned. "They could've just, I dunno, put it right next to their messes or something."

"No idea, chu..." Warechu sighed. "They're weirder than I thought, chu."

"Whatever, there's the path right ahead."

They emerged into another set of tunnels, extending into the darkness beyond. As they examined the huge structures, the pair could not help but wonder if any of them could lead to other exits.

"We'll go right, just like what that punk said," Linda mumbled. "Why do they have these huge tunnels around anyway?"

Warechu moved just a little closer to her side, and the light from the bulb seemed just a little dimmer than before, flickering erratically as they walked beneath. Linda paid no attention to it, however.

"U-Uh, what's that, chu..?" Warechu glanced around nervously.

Linda scoffed. "That punk's probably playing some pranks on us again."

They finally stopped right in front of a metal door, with a small yellow and black sticker of a mop on it. Linda stepped forth, and grabbed the handle. However, it did not budge at all, even if she was pulling at the handle with all her strength.

"Ugh, is this thing locked or what?" Linda groaned, and turned towards her rat companion.

"Are you sure it's the right place, chu?"

"Of course. This door has a mop sticker on it!"

Linda was giving the handle another pull, when it suddenly snapped open with a click. She almost lost her balance and fell backwards, but managed to remain standing, thanks to her tight grip on the handle.

"Wah-!" She yelled. "What the hell is that?!"

Unlike the small janitor closet they were expecting, the space behind the door was much larger, and the dim light of the bulb outside could not penetrate the thick, vast darkness inside. Despite the ominous feelings, the pair slowly walked inside, and after a long silence, the door slammed shut behind them on its own.

Warechu trailed closely behind his companion, and he let out a frightened squeak when he almost bumped into Linda's pipe in complete darkness, as the delinquent drew it from her back. Right at this moment, the light panels around the walls lit up, and the pair covered their eyes at the sudden brightness, before their vision slowly returned to normal.

The room looked like some kind of mineshaft, with all those steel supports piercing into the rocky walls. Through the glass pane in front of them, they could see several figures—Ranger, Gordea, and...

"Welcome to the Training ground Mark 2!" Duchess announced in a dramatic voice, behind the glass.

"What the hell is this?!" Linda stepped forth, pressing her palms against the glass.

"Watch your language, Linda, because we have a special guest in here today!" Duchess stepped aside, revealing another figure behind her.

"So..." Erich said, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "You think ze girl would impress me?"

"Of course, my _Feldmarschall_!" Duchess responded with a huge grin.

"Stop calling me zat!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she simply shrugged, before continuing her speech. "You are here for Test Round Two, and your performance will be ranked by the entire A-Squad! Despite our small numbers, we'll only accept the greatest baddies into the greatest squad of Gamindustri!"

"Strengths, weaknesses...how you deal with them during the test will determine your future in the squad," Ranger added.

"And once that is done, all of us will vote and decide if you're truly part of the team!" Gordea stated, in a chipper tone.

"Why?" Warechu frowned. "Haven't we already gotten into the team?"

"Yes, You two are already part of the team!" Duchess answered. "_But,_ since our ultimate goal right now is carrying out the heist, we feel like it won't be such a bright idea to send our new recruits head-first into the deadliest mission as cannon fodders, y'know?"

"And what would happen if we failed that test?"

"Simple," Erich snickered, as she pointed to a broom and a mop, lying besides the wall. "You'll be working as our janitor, until you've gotten good enough for ze heist."

"Are you saying that I'm not already up to the job?" she glared, "Still underestimating me, you wannabe punk?"

"Heh." Erich smirked. "You bet I am."

"Though keep in mind..." Gordea held up a finger. "This challenge would be _very_ different compared to the training ground, since it is built to be difficult for you to brute-force your way through."

"Training and testing are different, after all!" Duchess added. "Hell, you better be prepared to win your admission ticket to the party!"

"How the hell am I supposed to be prepared?!" Linda complained. "You just dragged us in here without our knowledge-!"

"She's ready."

Ranger cut the delinquent off by pulling the lever. The metallic platform below rumbled, and began to descend into a deep abyss. One by one, the lights lit up, and the platform stopped in front of a massive hallway with a clank. Hesitantly, the pair took their first step into the unknown arena.

"This is the VOX system. Welcome to the Training Arena Mk. II." An electric voice announced from above. "According to the pre-setting, you are hereby limited to the usage of simple firearms."

A trap door opened on the ceiling, and a chest was slowly lowered in front of them. The moment it touched the floor, the metal claws gripping the chest let go of it, and retreated back into the hole above.

As they opened the chest and peeked inside, they saw another pistol, along with some spare cartridges. Linda picked it up and stuffed it into her pocket in one swift motion, and started to glance around.

"Where the hell is this place?"

"Great question! It's all about first-person mayhem!" Duchess's chatter came through the speaker, "This is where the _real_ fun and challenge begins. This maze is more complicated and different than the training arena back there!"

"Are you trying to murder us again?" Linda narrowed her eyes.

"It's under supervision of the whole squad, so relax, bud! It's not like I'm doing this for fun!"

"Fine, where the hell do we go now?"

Instead of Duchess, the VOX system answered her question, and started guiding them by switching on a series of green neon lights.

"In this level, you are required to eliminate certain enemies in your vicinity. Be aware that these targets may pose a lethal threat to you, and the designers of the arena take no responsibility for any injuries or death that result from your incompetence."

"W-What?!" Warechu shivered at the statement, while Linda just sneered.

"Tch...Like that could scare me..."

The pair stopped in front of a large shuttle gate, with huge red letters painted on it.

"Level 1.0?" Warechu readed out the word.

"The test will take place behind this gate," explained the VOX system. "Once you are ready for the challenge, notify us, and we should open it."

"Of course we are. What are we? Cowards?" Linda cocked her pistol, scowling.

"Initiating the first challenge..."

A red blinking light appeared above the gate, accompanied by shrill warning sirens. Slowly, the gate lifted up, and the pair could see a pack of familiar monsters through the opening, leaping towards them.

"Dogoo!"

"Metal Dogoos?!" Linda shouted. "Where the hell did you find them?!"

"Let's just say...animal rights groups aren't gonna be happy, when they hear the answer to that question." Duchess's voice gained a chipper tone, and they could almost imagine her grinning in front of the speaker. "Thought you'd like a reunion with your old buddies."

"My buddies? Hell no!" Linda pulled the trigger, blasting the first few Dogoos apart before they could exit the gate. "These punks are nothing but perverted idiots!"

"Pervert, huh? That's new..."

The gate had fully opened, and Metal Dogoos swarmed out from inside. Their speed was slow, however, and Linda dodged their attack with ease. Still, she nearly tripped over when Warechu jumped up, and grabbed her arms.

"There's too many of them!"

"Shut up!" Linda groaned. "I could aim better at these freaks if you can fend for yourself!"

She briefly stopped to change her clip, then resumed her relentless assault on the Dogoos again. Most of them exploded into a puddle of grey slime upon being shot, but the numbers did get a little overwhelming.

Taking advantage of her swift speed, Linda circled around the room, kiting the monsters behind her as she turned to fire at them. Sweat was dripping down from her forehead, but still, she showed no signs of slowing down.

"Take this!" She roared, as she pulled the trigger, over and over again. "And this!"

* * *

Behind the scene, most of the members of A-Squad had their sight glued onto their CRT television, as they watched the live camera feed inside the Level 1.0 room. Duchess was leaning against a wall, arms crossed in a confident posture, and Erich's frown became even deeper at the sight.

"What? You think zat's enough for me to accept these idiots?"

"I mean, look at her!" Duchess gestured at the screen. "Quite bright for a rookie, isn't it? Her speed is as fast as lightning, and with some real experience, she'd soon be amongst us in the hall of fame!"

"Bah!" Erich shook her head in frustration, "Zat stupid test won't change mein mind, Duchess!"

"I mean, I'm already impressed with her, back in the training arena." Ranger said. "Is this really necessary?"

"That bothers me too." Gordea also chimed in. "From the previous record of the training from the cameras, I've already decided to let them join the heist. Why test them again?"

"Well, to be frank, our organization around here isn't purely democratic...there's some bureaucratic bits in it, too."

"Wait, what?"

"Erich and I have the same authority, as founders of this squad..." Duchess continued, "Below us is Flynn, who's like your captain. _But,_ since she isn't around here, the voting result would be 50-50, and we can't have that."

"And bringing Erich here will help change her mind?"

"Bingo!" Duchess gave Ranger a thumbs up. "Their first meeting is a bit sour, and maybe after seeing her performance, she'd stop thinking that Linda is just some whiny drop-out."

"I guess we'll have to see for ourselves," Ranger sighed. "She better pull this one off. Sure hope they ain't gonna try to murder each other again after this."

* * *

"That's all of them, right?"

Linda bent over, panting. She was covered in grey slime, after her battle with the Dogoos, and after receiving a nod from Warechu, she started checking her pistol. The cartridge was completely empty, and she reloaded a new one inside. Only after several minutes did the VOX system start speaking again.

"Congratulations for completing Level 1.0." It announced, in a monotone female voice. "Now initiating Level 2.0. Please stand by."

The next gate slowly opened with the clanking of gears, and, letting out a groan, the pair walked through it. They entered a large, spacious room, completely empty and devoid of foes, and the eerie silence became quite unsettling as the pair wandered around the room.

"There's another gate over there, chu." Warechu pointed at the other side of the room. "This level looks like a piece of cake."

"Don't celebrate yet, Warechu." The delinquent frowned. "We're already sweating, facing against the first level enemies. Why the hell would they make this level so empty?"

Inside the control room, the A-Squad members were eyeing each other in confusion, while Duchess was frantically flipping through her notes, trying to find the layout for this level.

"Duchess?" Ranger's voice came from behind her. "What's this level about?"

"I…actually don't know." Duchess scratched her head. "I don't think I've written this one?"

When she glanced up from her notes, she noticed something unusual. Gordea looked a little pale as she looked at the screen, and her hands were shaking.

"Uh, Gordea?" Duchess called out to her. "You alright there?"

"W-What?!" She stuttered, snapping back to reality. "Of course! I'm not feeling uneasy at all, haha..."

"You built this entire arena, right?" Ranger walked up to her. "Do you know what this level is?"

"It's, uhh..."

The floor below the pair suddenly began to shake, and the tremor became stronger and stronger. Linda and Warechu were completely caught up by surprise when the floor broke apart into several platforms, which started moving up and down randomly, and they could barely keep their balance, as they looked down from the edge of the platform.

It was a big mistake. Warechu immediately averted his gaze, seeing nothing but a black void that even the light panels could not illuminate, and the delinquent let out a frustrated scream at the sight.

"What the hell?!"

* * *

"Hehe..."

A low chuckle came from behind, and the team glanced back to see Erich slouched in her seat. Duchess narrowed her eyes slightly, as she walked closer, with her arms crossed.

"Hey Erich," She said, "You didn't do something to this level, _right_?"

A long silence ensued, before Erich responded with an ominous grin.

"_Maybe_," she mumbled. "After all, I've looked at your notes, and it's full of nothing but stupid child's play. I've asked Gordea to tweak some levels, so it'll be actual serious training."

"Wait, you did?" Ranger turned to the tinkerer.

"U-Uh.."

Overwhelmed by her nervousness, Gordea stuttered a little, before she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Yes." She sighed. "I've made some major adjustments to the challenges on each level, under Erich's order. And she asked me to change more than one of them..."

"Then what's this level's challenge about?"

Before she could answer, the trap doors on the arena ceiling opened, and round objects started dropping onto the platforms. Warechu's eyes widened as he saw the smoking fuses.

"Look out!"

Seconds after they touched the platform, the bombs exploded, and even though they were barely inside the blast radius, the shockwave sent them sliding towards the edge, almost pushing Linda straight into the void below.

"Woah!" Linda exclaimed, lying besides the edge.

They quickly scrambled back up, and right at that moment, another bomb dropped onto the platform. Grabbing Warechu into her arm, Linda quickly leaped onto a nearby platform, and seconds later, the bomb detonated behind them.

"What the hell is wrong with this level?! Are they trying to kill us?!"

"The machine told us this test is dangerous, chu..." Warechu trembled.

"That thing is supposed to warn us, not telling us to wait for our doom!"

"Uh! Quick update…things just get a little complicated," Duchess's voice came through the speaker.

"What do you mean, you punk?!" Linda snarked back. "Out for our blood again?!"

"Nein!" Erich's voice cut in. "It's mein idea to give you ze real test!"

"Liar! You're just trying to get rid of us, you damn wannabe!"

"Shut your mouth and listen up!" Erich screamed, followed by a loud slam against what seemed like a table. "I tune up ze challenges for you, and if you wanted to be a part of ze heist, then you better impress me first!"

"Oh, that's how you wanna play this game, huh?" Linda growled, as she dodged another bomb. "Fine! I'll beat everything you throw at me! And then it's my goddamn turn to beat your stupid face to pulp!"

"Uh, don't you two look the same? If her face was stupid, then yours would also be, chu—"

"Shut up!" Linda and Erich screamed at the rat in unison.

Erich walked away from the microphone, and leaned back into her chair, still watching the pair scrambling around different platforms. The rest of her teammates were eyeing her in wordless silence, with an unsettled look on their face.

"Uh, my old buddy!" Duchess finally spoke up, after a while. "You seem quite determined to send them into an early grave..."

"Eh, nein..." Erich shrugged. "What you came up with is so pathetic, even idiots can easily beat it and get into ze squad."

"Don't you think you just have some sort of grudge against her?"

"Maybe." Erich scratched her chin. "But if I can get through this, she'd better be on mein level, too!"

"Well, speaking about the level, how are they supposed to beat this one?" Ranger asked. "There's an end goal to it, right?"

"Simple, here's how they can beat it..."

* * *

"How the hell are we going to get outta' this?!"

Linda was sweating heavily as she hopped onto another platform, after the previous one was blasted by a rain of bombs. Warechu was grabbing onto the hood of her jacket, looking absolutely petrified by the explosion sounds.

"Is there supposed to be a key or something, chu? There's gotta be a way out of here..."

"Oh, sure! We can just jump off the edge, and see if we survive! Ain't taking that route, though!" Linda grumbled, with murder in her eyes. "Damn that wannabe jerk..."

Another bomb dropped near them, ticking and smoking. Linda bolted towards it, and gave it a swift kick, sending it flying off the platform like a soccer ball. The bomb detonated when it hit the wall, leaving a huge smoking dent on the metal. Right at that moment, Linda caught sight of the closed gate on the other end of the arena, and a huge, mischievous grin appeared on her face.

"Hehe." She turned to Warechu, "Found it!"

"Huh?" The rat frowned. "What do you—Look out!"

Another bomb fell down, but Linda had already drawn her iron pipe, ready to swing it.

"This is homecoming for you, punk!"

The iron pipe bashed into the bomb before it could touch the floor, and sent it flying towards the closed gate. The entire room shook at the impact as the bomb exploded next to the gate, and the pair nearly fell over. When the smoke cleared, they could see a dent on the gate, but the damage was minimal.

"It wasn't enough, chu..."

"But it's working!" Linda clenched her fists. "Keep sending the bombs at it, and it'll come down, sooner or later!"

The joy of their success was quickly interrupted by another bomb, and this time, the detonation blew them back. Warechu let go of Linda's hood, before she tumbled down from the platform, and she only grabbed the edge at the last second.

"D-Damn it!" Linda cursed, as she struggled to not look at the void below.

"Hold on, chu!"

Warechu ran up to her, and started pulling at her arms with all his meagre strength. His painstaking efforts had paid off, however, and with a yell, Linda finally lifted herself back up from the edge.

"Phew..." The rat sat down, exhausted.

"Jeez, that was close." Linda huffed, right after two more bombs fell.

This time, she dodged one of them, and hit the other while it was still in the air. It missed the gate by a narrow margin, and exploded near the wall. But they were seeing a pattern now.

"Look, they're throwing the bombs directly at us, and ain't just carpet-bombing the entire room! Like they want us to hit 'em or something." Linda snickered, before she held her pipe up, and let out a roar. "Come on, you punk! Throw everything you have at us!"

At her request, more trap doors opened, and bombs started raining down at a much more rapid speed. The delinquent continued to use the iron pipe like a baseball bat, sending one bomb after another towards the gate. Before long, the dent on the steel became a crater, and cracks were forming on the metal surface.

Finally, as another bomb exploded next to it, a chunk of the gate broke off, creating a small opening. With a triumphant grin, Linda grabbed Warechu, and began a mad dash towards that direction, while dodging the continuous waves of explosions.

"What are you doing, chu?!"

"A leap of faith!" Linda exclaimed.

"But it's too small! We're never gonna make it!"

"Well, it's small enough for you! Stop being a coward!"

Linda stomped down hard on the edge of the last platform, and propelled herself towards the small ledge in front of the gate, with a psychotic grin on her face. Warechu's scream echoed through the air as they began their freefall, and right at that moment, a bomb exploded behind Linda's back.

She yelped in pain at the blast, but the shockwave gave them another push in midair, and sent them slamming onto the ledge.

"Ack-!" Linda screamed, as Warechu flew out of her arms. His back collided against the gate, though, and he quickly picked himself back up.

"I can't believe it..." Warechu's expression was a mix between appalled and amazed. "You made it!"

"Gotta thank that bomb for the extra push, I guess..." Linda grimaced, as she put a hand to her back.

"Are you okay, chu?"

"Nggh, nah! I'm fine!" She scoffed, still caressing the burn, "These stupid bombs ain't gonna off me or anything..."

"Hey!" Erich's voice came through the speaker, "Congratulations, for beating ze second level! Getting tired already, I see? It's not too late to quit, y'know."

"Just get lost, punk..." Linda gritted her teeth .

"Wha-wha-wait a sec-!" Erich yelled, followed by scuffling sounds and a few curses.

"Hey there, Linda girl!" Duchess greeted. "I have to apologize for what she just did, hehe.. I honestly didn't have that on my list.."

"So you admit that she's out to kill us?"

"No, no, no, no! Of course not!" Duchess exclaimed, though she didn't sound like she was convinced. "She just spices up the challenge, and there's probably more to come. I'm not sure about what she has added, though..."

"Fine," Linda stood back up, "at least you're more helpful than before."

"Anything for you, rookie!" Her voice was quickly cut off, after a beep.

"Level 2.0 completed," announced the system. "Congratulations for beating the second level of the A-Squad Official Test."

"Yeah, yeah, we know..." Linda sighed, as the damaged gate slowly rose up. "The hell's next?"

"Unfortunately, due to the adjusted system settings, VOX cannot provide details about the upcoming level. However, I can give you directions, if you please."

Rows of neon light panels lit up along the hallway, and the pair followed the light as they moved through the corridors, presumably towards another testing arena. Large chunks of debris were scattered all over their path, and Linda frowned a little as she saw the bullet holes on the walls of the massive hallway.

"Hey, uhh..." Gordea chimed in through the radio. "I just want to ask, have you two ever gone through…proper military training before?"

"Uh, no? Do random punks like us look like promising soldiers to those stupid armies?"

"Eh, it's..." Anxiety was practically dripping from Gordea's voice, at their answer. "There's something that I need to tell you..."

"Huh? The hell is it now?" Linda raised an eyebrow.

"Look, chu," Warechu pointed forward. "There's a door over there."

"Yeah, right." Linda nodded. "Still, what the hell's her probl-?"

Right at that moment, something clicked below her boots, before a warning sound started blaring, and the light panels were glowing red. Before Linda could react, the floor slid open, and a barricade rose in front of the door, followed by several machine gun turrets.

"D-Damn it, again?!" Linda screamed, and quickly scurried behind the nearest chunk of debris, as the turret unleashed a storm of bullets in their directions. Warechu almost got struck by a stray shot that ricocheted off the walls, before Linda dragged him away.

"What the hell?! Is this the _third_ level?!"

"Oh shoot! I forgot to update the system after Erich's adjustment..." Gordea squealed. "I-I'm really sorry!"

"Please proceed to the next level according to the procedures-" The VOX system's announcement was cut off by Linda's shrill shriek.

"Damn! This! Entire! Dimension! I can't believe it's full of moronic idiots!"

"U-Uh..." The tinkerer weakly stated, "Erich also changed this level into something more…realistic, whatever she meant by that. It was originally supposed to be more of a run-and-gun style level, according to Duchess."

"Of course! That stupid wannabe is just hell-bent on making us into dead meat at this point!"

"W-What?!" Warechu trembled.

"Shut your big mouth, you cocky punk!" Erich's voice blared through the speaker again. "Mein job is giving you ze hardest levels, so you won't be dead meat in the real heist! If I really wanted to murder you, I'd have shot you on the spot!"

"Oh, really? It looks like you're going out of your way to make 'hardest' into 'deadliest', assuming that you can actually tell these two apart!"

"Ugh, I don't care. Just stop whining already!" Erich snarked. "Zat is ze true heart of A-Squad, a never-ending, deadly struggle that can send us into a jail cell or a casket at any time. Some may see it as crazy, but you'd never let them hear your roars, till you're pushed to the brink!"

"You sell illegal copies of—whatever crap it is? Noobie league stuff, yes, but zat means you won't let ze rules stop you. What good are rules, when those CPUs had all but forgotten their people? Just another pair of shackles that ze authorities try to force on us."

"What the hell are you rambling about." Linda stated flatly.

"We are born to be free of those stupid rules! We are built to have ze true freedom to do what we want, as part of the A-Squad, without being held back by ze fragile rules of fools!"

Erich raised her fist into the air in a victorious pose, before she sat back down, exhausted by the long speech. After gesturing for Gordea to give her a bottle of water, she looked back at the screen, and started grinning again.

"Now then," she smirked, "What do you think?"

"Sorry! Can't hear you over the sound of turrets trying to blast us to death—"

"Yeah, chu!" Warechu clapped his tiny paws together. "We'll show those chumps who we are, chu!"

"W-What the hell you're talking about?!" Linda stared at him, like he had just grown another head. "Have you gone nuts?!"

"Come on, chu!" He urged. "Let's go beat those chumps into scraps!"

"How the hell are we-Hey! Come back!"

She reached out to grab Warechu, but he had already rushed out from behind the cover, and ducked behind another chunk of debris. The turrets were still firing as he traversed around the narrow space, but his small size and speed caused the projectiles to miss entirely.

Still, as he scrambled between covers and got closer to the turrets, the bullet fire also became a lot more intense, until he was forced to stop behind a single piece of debris. Warechu's face paled as he realized that the bullets were slowly chipping at his new shield, and would tear it apart soon.

"Uwah!" He cowered and covered his head. "I-I might get shot to a pulp, chu..."

"Ugh! You idiot!" Linda groaned, and rolled out from behind her cover, narrowing dodging the projectiles as she began to make her way towards Warechu.

* * *

Most of the team had their sight glued to the chaos on the screen, occasionally grimacing as bullets narrowly missed the delinquent in her mad dash between covers.

"Jeez..." Ranger put a hand to her forehead. "Dunno how they'd get out of this one, Erich."

"You said something about a first-person shooter, right?" Duchess sweatdropped. "Feels like we're witnessing the birth of a new genre."

"At least it's better than your stupid ideas, Duchess." Erich rolled her eyes, and turned towards Ranger. "Oh, and beating ze level? Easy peasy. Just beat ze hell out of every turret, till they're nothing but a bunch of scraps!"

"But those turrets are like...an entire corridor away from them." Ranger said. "How did you manage to run to the end, without getting riddled with bullets?"

"Eh? Nein! Not gonna tell you." Erich shook her head, frustrated. "I'm not in ze mood. Go bother someone else, if you really wanna know."

"Okay…then?"

* * *

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreader & Editor


	13. Unintended Consequence

_\- Tari_

"What's taking them so long?"

Uni was lying down besides the window, peeking at the scenery outside. Behind her, Nepgear had her sight glued to the television screen, occasionally making a few small gasps and cheers at the images.

"Woah..." She said. "Even if the visual effects aren't that good, this film is a real gem!"

"Robots taking over the world? Again? To be honest, it's a bit cliche..." Uni sighed. "Still, I like those guns."

The twins were still sleeping soundly on the bed, as the door creaked open, and both of them stood up at the noise.

"Sorry for disturbing you!" A woman in a maid dress staggered into the room, carrying a large bag on her shoulder. "Your friend asked for futons, right?"

"Yeah, let me help you with that," Uni nodded, and helped the struggling maid lift the bag into the room. "T-There! You can put it down now."

"Phew..." The maid exhaled deeply. "Thanks for the help! That's a lot of futons in there. You make lifting them look so easy."

"Oh, I've worked out before, hehe.."

"If you need something else, just let us know."

"Well actually, I do have a question," Uni replied. "Where is the Basilicom of Tari?"

"Huh?" Nepgear turned away from the screen.

"I assume you girls are tourists, huh?" The maid said. "It's several streets away from here. Pretty busy district, but you can't miss such a huge building."

"O-Oh, silly me..."

"Well, if you don't mind me asking..." The maid said, "Why would you girls want to go there? I mean, people rarely pay a visit to Lady Cyan Heart, unless there's an emergency..."

"It's, uhh-"

"Oh, we aren't going in there!" Nepgear shook her head, "We've heard that their Basilicom is absolutely beautiful, and we just wanna check it out! Like, walk _around _the place."

"I understand. Hopefully, I haven't wasted too much of your time yet." The maid smiled, "Have a good afternoon!"

She stepped outside, and gently closed the door behind her. Nepgear heaved a sigh of relief at the sight.

"Nepgear! What was that?!"

"Why would you want to find Rei?!" Nepgear frowned at Uni. "You can't be serious, especially after she tried to attack you."

"Yeah, but this time, we aren't going to bother her sister," Uni continued, "So maybe she'd agree to help us find _our_ sisters and friends?"

"Really?" Nepgear said. "You said she's nasty, even in human form. How about we go to Planeptune and find this world's Histoire, instead? Or Lowee? There might be another Blanc, too."

"Nepgear, I don't even know if Histoire exists in this dimension. Lastation and Leanbox sure don't. How can we be sure that she's around, and we aren't gonna go all the way to Planeptune for nothing? Rei's the only person we are familiar with, and we want any help, we'd have to convince her!"

"But the Rei of this world isn't familiar with us." Nepgear said. "For all she knows, we're just...some annoying kids. She'd just throw us out the moment we tried to talk to her, or do something worse."

Uni tried to come up with some retorts, but ended up lowering her head after a long silence. She wasn't taking the fact well, despite acknowledging that Nepgear had a point.

"Fine," she sighed. "We'll go to Planeptune next, but what if we can't find them there?"

"I'm not sure..." Nepgear's voice trailed off. "Maybe go to Lowee? I really hope there's another Blanc in this dimension."

"Same. But if she doesn't exist either, we'd have to go back to Rei, no matter how risky it is."

They lay back down on the new futons. The moment Nepgear glanced back at the CRT television screen, she put a hand to her forehead.

"Aww..." Nepgear whined. "I missed most of the action scenes."

"Sorry for dragging the conversation."

"No, it's fine. Do you think we can come across a copy of that Exterminator movie in—"

"Haha!" The door flew open with a loud thud, "Time to get comfy-!"

"Shh! Keep it down, Astro!" Zappa gestured towards the twins.

Estella and Galaxa came in after them. The entire squad looked relieved to be indoors, judging by the sweat trickling down their face.

"Oh, hello there! You get the repair done?"

"As much as we could," Zappa nodded. "There's still a lot of work left, though. We'll be relaxing here for the time being, before we go out again after sunset."

"After sunset?"

"Our delivery guys couldn't carry the parts out of the city," Astro sighed. "So we'd have to pick them up ourselves instead."

"How?"

"Using Zappa's jet," Estella answered. "Technically against the laws, but we don't really have a choice."

"Breaktime!" Galaxa cheered. "Phew. What a day."

"Oh! Here's some food," Nepgear grabbed the bags of snacks, and handed it over to the squad. "I've bought them for the twins, but they're asleep before I could.."

"Thanks, Nepgear," Galaxa said. "Eating snacks on an empty stomach ain't my idea of fun, but I guess I'll give this a pass for now."

"Until the clock strikes midnight, let's just sit back and relax." Estella sat down on the futon. "Thank goodness for the air conditioning..."

* * *

_\- Intellastion_

Nakayama led Neptune and Noire through the shady alleyways, dirty puddles splashing under their feet as they dodged the cops, who were closing in on them from every direction.

"Man! It's been a day since the battle, and we're at it again!" Neptune whined. "How the _Nep_ did they find us?!"

"Sylvania isn't going to give up that easily!" Nakayama briefly turned back, still sprinting, "Not before you hand the Hypercube over to her!"

"Dang it, there's too many of them!" Noire yelled. "They are trying to corner us!"

Nakayama threw her cards at the pursuing cops again, casting a magical barrier that blocked off the entire street. While the cops were banging against the barrier, trying to strike it down, the three girls bolted for the opening.

"We are having problems capturing our targets!" Faint yelling could be heard from behind them. "The CPU of Planeptune continues to obstruct our paths. We need back-up!"

"You're not the only squad slamming straight into those damned shields! We need a chokepoint!"

"Copy that. Hey everyone! Let's split our squads in half for a pincer movement!"

"Roger that."

The three girls were back onto the public street again, and they made a beeline for the crowd, hoping to blend in and lose the pursuers.

"Whatever you do, don't look back, Nep!" Noire whispered, as they nudged their way through the sea of people.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Neptune said, "I'm not always getting us into trouble, okay?"

"Oh, you totally do! If Sylvania found out we had the cube when we first ran into her..."

"Whaaat? But we got out of that one! Until Nakayama's exploding cards led her to us again—"

"Uh-huh." Noire pouted. "Fair enough, but you better not-"

Neptune suddenly halted her steps. "Wait a sec..."

"W-What?!"

"Have you seen Nakayama?"

"Huh?"

To Noire's horror, when she turned around, Nakayama was nowhere to be found amongst the clustering mass of people. She gripped onto Neptune's shoulder, with a look of sheer panic on her face.

"We need to find her. Now."

"N-Nepu..." Neptune gulped, and pointed towards the pavement. "But Sylvania's guards are like, all over the place."

An entire group of guards in uniform was marching down the streets. It was a miracle that they had not caught sight of the pair, despite their large numbers. Not willing to risk it, Noire grabbed Neptune's sleeves, and together, they slinked out of the crowd and into a quiet alleyway.

"Come on, Nep," Noire said in a hushed voice. "We have to get out of here."

"But how about-?!"

"We'll go back for her later. We'd be dead if they spotted us now! Let's start moving!"

Noire did not wait for a response, before she grabbed Neptune again, and rushed out of the alleyway.

* * *

"Noire? Neptune? Where are you?!"

Nakayama was looking back and forth inside the crowd. A myriad of faces flooded her vision, and none of them were familiar. Just as she was shoved out of the way by an impatient businessman, a shout came from behind.

"There she is! Get her!"

The crowd started dispersing at the sight of the guards. She gritted her teeth.

"Get out of my way!" Nakayama sprinted through the crowd, but before long, she saw two groups of guards, closing on her from front and back. She could only see a single opening, and they were on the verge of cutting it off.

"Dang it..." Nakayama clenched her fists together. "Fine!"

She rushed out of the crowd, and onto the concrete pavement. The guards were struggling to push their way through the people, and maybe that would earn her enough time—

"Beep, beep!"

A car appeared out of nowhere and slammed into her. She tumbled through the air, before hitting a wall and slumping onto the ground. The car grinded to a screeching halt, and the guards' eyes lit up when the driver stepped out of the vehicle.

"Lady Lessa!" They bowed in front of the girl. "Thanks! We could've lost her if you haven't arrived."

"Good!" The CPU Candidate smiled, as she made her way to the unconscious Nakayama, "How about the other two? Where are they?"

"No clue, Lady Lessa. We're still looking for them, but no further sighting has been reported."

"At least we caught Nakayama," Lessa sighed, "My sister wants to see her. So let's bring her along."

"Yes, milady." With a salute, the guard lifted up Nakayama, and carried her into the vehicle.

"Isn't that Lady Nakayama?"

"Yes she is! What's Planeptune's CPU doing in here?"

While the bystanders were exchanging hushed whispers with themselves, more squads arrived and started shooing people away from the scene.

"Away! Away!" The guards yelled. "This area is off-limits!"

* * *

Noire and Neptune collapsed underneath the nearest tree, after getting away from the main streets. No pursuers had come after them, as of now, so they continued to lie in the shade, their hearts still pumping like mad from all the running in the past hour.

"I have no idea where we are." Neptune said. "Aww, we can't possibly find the dock now, without Nakayama around...how did we lose her again?"

Noire responded with a deep sigh. "Too many people, I guess."

"Yeesh. How can we get back to her?"

_VROOOOOM_

A blaring horn echoed in the distance, followed by the cries of seagulls. Noire glanced around, and saw a bright light coming out of the end of a nearby alleyway. Slowly and carefully, they walked out of the shadows, and peeked out from behind a wall. In front of them lay a clear blue sea, with several cruise ships inside a large, glamorous dock.

They had stumbled up their destination—by accident. Noire had a smile on her face, and she was about to run towards the dock when Neptune pulled her back by the sleeves.

"We can't leave on our own." Neptune shook her head. "We have to find Nakayama first!"

"W-What?!" Noire frowned. "Haven't you seen those guards? They are everywhere, Nep! They'd catch us before we even started looking for her!"

"She helped us, and we can't just leave her here, right?"

"B-But-!"

"The Console War is still on. What would happen to her if she was caught by Sylvania? What would happen to Planeptune, to my—_our_ nation?!"

Noire took a step back when she saw the serious look on Neptune's face, a stark contrast to her usual relaxed demeanor. There wasn't a single trace of humor in her voice.

"Alright..." Noire mumbled, "But we better make it quick."

"Yeah!"

They started running again, through the alleyways and side streets, until Neptune's bag suddenly began to shake.

"Huh?" She halted her steps. "Are you alright now, little cubey?"

The Hypercube zoomed out of the bag. Its glowing aura was back, and it was chiming louder than before as it flew around Neptune. Then, it started nudging her cheeks happily.

"H-Hey!" Neptune laughed. "That tickles!"

"Huh? Little cubey has recovered?" Noire said. "Why does it take so long?"

"I dunno," Neptune shrugged, "But hey, little cubey's all fine and happy now!"

"That's great and all, but…even with our HDD back, we can't just go fly up and look for her."

"Hmm..." Neptune put a hand to her chin, "Hadn't little cubey made a starry map thing before? Maybe we can look for her with that?"

"Great," Noire nodded, "But make it quick! we don't want anyone seeing the Hypercube in our arms. I'll be on the lookout while you talk with it."

"You can count on me, Noire!" Neptune gave her a thumbs-up, before she gestured for the Hypercube to come closer in a casual manner..

"Heya, little cubey! Will ya' help out your buddy, and find Nakayama for us? We've gotten into a...situation while you're asleep, hehe..."

The moment she finished her sentence, the Hypercube hovered upwards, and started spinning at a speed that caused the surrounding air to ripple. After a burst of blue light, the shining aura dispersed into little specks of light again. Noire took a deep breath at the sight, and started glancing around the streets. Beads of sweat were trickling down her forehead.

"Can you see anything yet, Nep?"

"Give me a sec', Noire!" Neptune replied, trying to trace the specks with her fingers. "I-I'm still looking!"

After poking at the specks of lights for a while, a single purple star caught her attention. It was sitting still in a certain place, amongst the blurry lines and squares that represented the streets and buildings.

"So?"

"I think this is it!" Neptune smiled. "She's like, really far away from us, though, somewhere around that park we ran through."

"She went in the opposite direction?" Noire sighed, "Can you lead us there?"

"Yep!" Neptune called forth the Hypercube into her bag, "As the protagonist, I shall be the party leader for today!"

"You didn't _exactly_ tell me where she is, but whatever."

* * *

Words made its way into her ears, and there was only darkness in her vision. However, one thing was certain: she couldn't move or stand, and her hands were tied up.

"Hey! What is this?! Let me go!"

A door slammed shut behind her, followed by a loud greeting. Her heart sank as she heard their words.

"Milady! We've caught the CPU you are after!"

"She's...not exactly the one I wanted, though."

The black bag was yanked off her head, and Nakayama could see again. Lessa was standing right next to her, with a cheeky smile on her face, though it quickly disappeared when she saw Sylvania's frown.

"Heh," Nakayama chuckled, "Your sister must've been a good teacher to you."

"You bet! You think you and your friends would be able to escape from her? You should be happy that you're not the one she's after."

Sylvania slowly stood up from behind the desk. The guards saluted her in unison.

"Sylvania!" Lessa ran up to her. "Are you feeling okay now, sis?"

Sylvania's expression was one of sheer shock, and when Lessa snuggled up to her, she responded with a pinch to her ear. Lessa yelped at the unexpected gesture.

"Aw, aw aw!" She cried, "S-Sis?!"

"Didn't I tell you not to go after a CPU?!" Sylvania complained, "You were supposed to keep an _eye_ on them! Not to chase them down by yourself!"

"Lady Sylvania!" One of her guards stepped in, "We apologize for not telling you this sooner! Lady Lessa asked us to search for the perpetrators, and she just dealt the final blow after we cornered one of them."

With a gasp, Sylvania let go of her sister, who was wincing in pain, before pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Lessa! I should've asked you first."

"Yeah. That hurts, you know?" Lessa mumbled, pouting.

"Uh, excuse me, you do realize that I'm still watching your sweet sisterly time, right?"

Nakayama couldn't help but sound a little smug, as she teased her opponent. She soon regretted it when a blushing Sylvania moved closer, and started violently shaking the chair she was tied to.

"W-Wait! Stop it!"

"You still have the guts to try and tease me now?!" Sylvania yelled. "How about I teach you a lesson, you-Ack!"

Sylvania held a hand to her chest, and knelt over on the floor. Lessa rushed to her and helped her get back up, together with the guards.

"Sis! Are you alright?"

"N-Not really." Sylvania grimaced. "While I was still in the hospital, they said that you captured one of the girls, so I came over here immediately. Guess it's still too soon."

"Have you even checked with the doctors before you left? You shouldn't risk your health like that."

"I know." Sylvania sighed, before glaring back at Nakayama. "But they have something important in their hands, _right_?"

"Huh?" Nakayama responded with a mocking shrug. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't toy with me, Nakayama. You know exactly what I'm after."

"Sis?" Lessa tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, since we're enemies, you're probably jealous of my success or something—"

"The Hypercube, damn it!" Sylvania shrieked. "You've been helping those girls. The guards told me that."

"Oh, that. You're still trying to one-up Odyssee, huh?"

"Hmph!" Sylvania pouted. "You've probably backstabbed them and stolen it by pretending to be their friends, right? Give me the Hypercube. Now."

"Don't have it," Nakayama chuckled. "Don't want it, either."

"W-What?!" Sylvania gasped. "You can't just leave the most powerful weapon in Gamindustri to some random teenagers! What's wrong with you?! Shouldn't you at least make an effort, for Planeptune's sake?"

"There's something special about them. Maybe they aren't just ordinary teenagers, you know?" Nakayama said. "Besides, that weapon has wiped the floor with me before. Don't feel like going through that again."

"Fine, have it your way!" Sylvania threw her hands up in the air. "Jeez, I sure hope your own people are proud of your cowardice..."

"Sis, please calm down..." Lessa tugged at her sleeves. "Your wound might get worse.."

"I'm fine, Lessa. It would take more than that to kill me."

"Well, guess a friendly reminder can't hurt. You won't find them anywhere in Intellastion, because they've already left the nation."

"Where did they go, then?" Lessa pointed a finger at her. "It's not like we can't track them down and drag them back! Right, sis?"

"That's right," Sylvania said. "As long as Odyssee hasn't gotten to them first, I'd be willing to leave Intellastion, just to search for these girls. They can't stay on the run for long."

"Yeah, that's right-wait, what?!" Lessa frowned.

"Leaving Intellastion for that cube. Yeah, how very responsible of you."

"What's with that smug look? If I remember correctly, you also left Planeptune for the Hypercube."

"Let's just say I'm not interested in their Hypercube anymore, and leave it at that."

"Oh, _now _you're helping them out! Great!" Sylvania snarked. "Helping random teenagers? What could you possibly get out of this?"

"Like I said, they might just be a little more special than they looked, and messing with them could have _unintended _consequences, you know?"

"Geez. Getting knocked out so many times must've finally turned you into a complete moron." Sylvania sighed. "I'm going to ask one last time. Where are they?"

"No idea."

Seconds later, Sylvania punched her in the stomach. She screamed and bent over—as best as someone tied to a chair could manage, and when she looked back up, Sylvania was staring straight into her eyes.

"I know you're hiding something, Nakayama. Where are they?"

"L-Look, I really don't know. We got separated after we ran past that park."

"Is that all?"

"If you're not happy with that answer, how about you just shut up and off me already? It's the Console War, after all."

Sylvania clenched her fists, and Lessa took a step back from her. For a second, it almost looked like she was about to summon her twin crystals and blast Nakayama in the face, before she made a painful cough.

"Dang it..." Sylvania sighed, and lowered her head. "I can't believe you made me go this far."

"Oh, I don't know. I'm not the one who rushed out of there without checking with the doctors first, right, Lessa?"

"Y-You—!"

"Keep an eye on her." Sylvania turned to the guards. "Don't let her get away, before I find those girls and their Hypercube. Come on, Lessa, follow me."

"U-Uhh, okay..."

Both of them walked out of the room. As the door slammed shut, Nakayama exhaled deeply, and slumped back in her chair. After a long silence, she turned to the single guard standing besides the door.

"Is this how she actually acts like in private?"

"I have no obligation to respond to a foe of Intellastion." The guard gave her a stern look.

"Of course. You do you, then..."

Nakayama started pulling against the chains. It didn't bulge at all, and she gritted her teeth when she felt no connections to her HDD. It was strange, how Intellastion could get their hands on restraints that could cut off Shares...must be Lessa's doing.

She slouched back into her chair again, and stared into the dull ceiling above.

"Good luck finding your sisters, Neptune and Noire..."

* * *

"Nep, are you sure this is the right way?"

"Of course! I'm not the amnesiac girl in the first game anymore!"

Noire followed closely behind Neptune, as they ventured their way through the urban streets. Neptune had grabbed some disguises off the clothesline on the way—a hat, a pair of shades, and a silly mustache that made her look like a paperboy.

Noire only took a pair of glasses from Neptune's huge inventory of weird objects. She still did not understand how people kept failing to see through such "disguises" in this dimension, but it worked, so she really had no rights to complain.

The closer they got to their destination, guided by the Hypercube's low chimes, the more guards they saw, until the entire street was almost flooded by uniformed men.

"Woah, that's a _lot_ of them!" Neptune pointed to the giant crowd in front of a building. "I guess there's something important going on?"

"Not to mention those hordes of interviewers," Noire frowned, "What are they up to again?"

Most of the interviewers were pushing against the line of guards in front of the glass door, until two figures walked out of the building. They were immediately bombarded by flickers of light from the cameras, followed by loud chatters.

"Lady Sylvania, do you have any response in regards to the recent incident?"

"Milady, what drove you to disregard the potential danger to the citizens, and begin a fight in the city center?"

"Lady! Do you have any words about the unidentified CPU?"

"Lady Lessa! Would the recent incident have an effect on the racing industry of Intellastion?"

"I-I don't know!" Lessa stuttered, and quickly scurried behind her sister.

The guards shoved the interviewers aside, and made way for the pair, who were still being pestered with questions as they walked through the crowd.

"Look!" Neptune pointed to the taller girl. "There's Sylvania."

"And that little girl beside her must be her sister, "Noire frowned. "Nep, we better get away from that crowd. _Quick_."

"Well, too bad..." Neptune let out a nervous chuckle. "Because Nakayama is in there."

"What?" Noire squinted at the tall glass building. "Has she been..."

"Caught?" Neptune replied. "Yeah, probably, but what is this place?"

"Only one way to find out," Noire said. "Come on, Nep!"

"Nepu-?!" Neptune tilted her head. "Didn't you say we should stay away from those pesky interviewers?!"

"I don't, but for Nakayama's sake.. Just hurry up, you lazy Goddess!"

Noire grabbed her, and together, they squeezed their way through the crowd, trying very hard not to get pushed back by the Goddesses' bodyguards, along with the rest of the interviewers. Noire picked up a pen from the ground, before taking away a piece of paper off the nearest journalist's clipboard.

"Noire, what's the plan here?" Neptune whispered. "What are we even doing?"

"I need you to give me the cube for a while."

"Okay then...?" Neptune passed the bag to her. "But still, what are we supposed to do here?"

"Simple," Noire shoved the pen and paper into her hands, "Go ask them the weirdest questions you can think of and make a commotion, while I sneak my way into the building."

"N-Nepu-?! A-Are you crazy?! I would be dead if they-!"

"Just go!"

Noire pushed Neptune through the line of interviewers, right below the arms of a guard, before she could make any further protest. Soon, she found herself standing in front of Sylvania and her Candidate. For a moment, they just stared at each other in awkward silence.

"O-Oh..." Neptune stuttered. "Hi there! Lady Sylvania and Lady uhh… Lessy?"

"It's Lessa," the CPU Candidate corrected her, still eyeing her in suspicion.

She could see Noire in the distance, making her way through the mass of people with the bag in her arms. After giving her one last thumbs-up, Noire gestured for her to go on, and disappeared into the crowd again.

"A-Anyway, I'm sorry for...taking up your time, but I'm kinda a big fan of you, Lady Sylvania."

Sylvania responded with a nod. "Go on."

"Well, uhh..." Neptune smiled sheepishly. "D-Do you like pudding?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Wait, what kind of question is that?" Lessa gave her a weird look, and Neptune scratched her head in embarrassment.

"Well, I've never tasted nor seen a pudding, so...I don't know."

"Shoot! I understand, I really do, Lady-!" Neptune was cut off by Lessa, who leaned closer and stared into her eyes.

"Say, sis..." Lessa said. "Doesn't she look like the girl you described? With her lilac-hair and parka dress?"

"Now that you mention it, she _does_ look like the girl I'm looking for." Sylvania also stepped towards her.

Despite the awkward smile on her face, Neptune was screaming internally as the pair examined her, her back drenched in cold sweat. This couldn't be the end for the protagonist...right?

"No. It's not her." Sylvania sighed. "She looks a little similar, but she's probably an entirely different person with the same fashion style."

"Really? Okay then?" Lessa muttered, before she stepped forth, and shook Neptune's hands.

"W-We're sorry for suspecting you, Miss Journalist."

"O-Oh!" Neptune laughed. "It's okay! To be honest, you did give me a bit of a scare there, hehe..."

"Alright then," Lessa said. "Well, I think it's time for us to-"

"No no no no!" Neptune frantically waved her hands. "I have some more questions for you!"

"Hey!" A frustrated yell came from behind the guards, "You already had your interview, brat! Make way for the adults!"

"Who are you calling a brat?"

In response, more complaints and shouting erupted from the hordes of interviewers, and the bodyguards were having real trouble holding their ground against the chaotic mob. Neptune cowered a little at the sight—it looked like she was on the verge of starting a riot.

"We've been waiting for hours, before that girl came out of nowhere, and now she has the guts to ask for more?!"

"Knock it off, lady!" The guard pushed the shrieking woman back.

"Oh no..."

By now, everyone was pushing against the line of guards, and some even grabbed Neptune's clothes and tried to drag her back into the crowd.

"Eep! Get off from me, you weirdo!"

"Milady, we need to move, now." The guard informed Sylvania.

"I know. Lessa?" She gestured at the CPU Candidate, who pulled Neptune away from the crowd.

"Mmph-!"

The pair hastily left the scene, protected by a ring of bodyguards, dragging a struggling Neptune behind them. The crowd was in a full uproar now, and in the distance, more guards were arriving to quash the impending riot.

* * *

Noire peeked out from behind a wall, checking the reflections on the glass decorations to make sure there was no one watching before sneaking through the dark hallway. Almost everything inside, from the carpet to the painting on the walls, were incredibly fancy and expensive, but she had no time to adore their beauty.

She snaked past the few guards by taking detours—this labyrinth of a building was full of them. For a moment, Noire wondered if finding a paper box and hiding underneath it might make the whole thing less of a hassle—it sure worked well in stealth games, right?

Right as she made her way through the darkness, she saw a tiny sliver of light, coming out from the door next to her.

"Huh? What's that?"

When she inched closer, she could see a wobbling shadow, blocking the light as it moved back and forth. Someone was mumbling inside the room. Curious, she was about to listen at the door when the Hypercube started rattling inside her bag.

"What the? Little cubey?"

The Hypercube flew out from the bag, and started circling around the door.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Let me go already!" Right at that moment, a familiar feminine voice came from inside.

"For the last time, I have no obligation to respond to Intellastion's enemies!"

"Is that...?"

It was Nakayama. There was little doubt about that—but, from the sounds of it, there was also a guard inside that room. Noire was still examining the door when the Hypercube started rapidly spinning in midair, as if preparing for a charge.

"No! Don't!" She warned in a hushed voice. "We can't just break in by force. It could get us in trouble."

With a sad chime, the cube stopped spinning, and moved back to Noire's side, who let out a deep sigh at the sight.

"There's gotta be a way to bait that guy out of the room..."

The Hypercube suddenly lit up, and with a series of low chimes, it signalled Noire to follow it around the corner. While she was still staring at the cube in confusion, it flew back towards the door, and started banging on it.

"Lady Sylvania asks you to come to the lounge room!" A bossy male sound came out of the Hypercube—it seemed to be mimicking someone.

"Uh, what?" The guard replied. "I never received a radio message about that."

"It's an immediate order! Do as I said, or you'll be stuck cleaning the toilet room with a toothbrush tonight!"

"Alright, alright! Jeez..."

The door opened, and the guard raised an eyebrow when he saw no one standing in the corridor. He scratched his head, before shrugging to himself and starting to walk away.

"That was quick. Why do they need a replacement now? Someone broke their legs or caught a bad flu? Ehh, none of my business..."

Noire, with the Hypercube in her arms, smiled when she saw the half-open door. After making sure that the guard was gone, she quietly sneaked into the room, and closed the door behind her.

"Nakayama? Where are you?"

"Noire?!"

Noire heard the gasp before she saw Nakayama in the middle of the room, tied to a chair by multiple chains. She ran up to the chair and gave the chains a hard yank, but it did not move a inch.

"These chains must be imbued with Shares." Nakayama said, "Guess she really wants me to stay here, eh?"

"Don't worry, you won't be locked up forever!" Noire spoke with great confidence, before gesturing towards the Hypercube. "Please, little cubey?"

It flew closer to the magical chains, and with a single nudge, the chains broke into a bunch of pixels, freeing Nakayama from their bind.

"Wait. I thought Neptune's the only one who could talk to it?" Nakayama said, as she stood up from the chair. "Where is she now?"

"She's outside, creating a distraction."

"Sylvania and Lessa? Are you sure she can handle them? Without her powers?"

"That's why we're not fighting them head-on. Let's get out of here!"

As they ran out of the room and moved through the corridor, they could hear a lot of yelling from outside. Noire briefly stopped next to a window, and to her horror, there were hundreds of people rioting on the streets below, scuffling with the newly arrived guards.

"Oh no," Noire mumbled. "Please tell me Nep wasn't in there."

"W-Wait, she's still here?" Nakayama said. "You and Neptune could've just sail your way to Balarch, so why do you—"

"We're not leaving you behind! Neptune is still in that crowd, and we're gonna find her first."

"Alright." Nakayama sighed. "Guess we'll have to stick together for the time being."

"Good." Noire waved to the cube, "Now fly back into the bag, little cubey. We're leaving."

The moment the Hypercube made its way inside the bag, the pair started running down the nearest staircase.

* * *

"N-Nepu?!" Neptune gasped, before adjusting her mustache, which was on the verge of falling off. "W-What's that for?!"

She was surrounded by a circle of guards, together with Sylvania and her sister. Everyone except for her was glancing around the shadows, as if expecting an interviewer to pop up at any moment.

"You've asked too much..." Sylvania turned to her. "I bet those maniacs would have your hide for it."

"O-Oh, I see, hehe..." Neptune let out an awkward chuckle. "But why would you take me with you?"

"Can't let my sister's biggest fan get harmed, you know. " Lessa said. "Journalism isn't the friendliest business in Intellastion."

"At least you get out of there in one piece. Just be careful if you stumbled upon them again."

"Got'cha!" Neptune smiled. "I've dealt with plenty of dangers before, so don't worry, I can handle them myself!"

"Wow, for an interviewer, you sure have...been through a lot?" Lessa applauded her.

"Milady," The guards called out to Sylvania. "The area is clear. we are still near them, though, so we better hurry up."

"Okay then," she nodded. "Call the limo driver to pick us up and-"

She made an abrupt pause as she caught sight of Neptune, still in her disguise. Lessa looked like she was about to say something, but held her words back at the last second.

"And what...?" Neptune asked.

"A-And to drive us to the competition, yeah! Big sis is gonna watch my match today!" Lessa smiled, "By the way, sis, my car is quicker than the limo. Let's spare them the trouble."

"Alright then." Sylvania nodded. "Change of plans, I'll just let Lessa drive me there."

"Yes, milady."

The guards stepped back, creating a huge empty space with Lessa at its center. She held her palms out, and before long, a bunch of blue pixels shot out of the ground, and materialized into something huge—an entire race car.

'Woah...' Neptune's look was one of sheer awe. 'I never knew CPUs can summon a car as their weapon...'

"There we go." Lessa stepped into her car, followed by her sister. "Sorry, we can't take you with us. The race is really...urgent."

"How about our guards?" Sylvania asked. "This car only has enough space for two people."

"No worries, we'll just head back to the headquarter on foot. Have a safe trip, Lady Sylvania and Lady Lessa."

"Goodbye. Maybe we can meet again someday." Sylvania waved towards Neptune.

"Will do! And thanks a bunch for getting me outta' there!"

With a roar, the car's engine started, and it zoomed back onto the main street. The guards departed from the side street in a formation, presumably back towards the big glass building, and Neptune let out a gasp when she realized that Noire and Nakayama were still in the middle of that chaos.

"Oh shoot! Hope they didn't get stuck inside!"

* * *

Nakayama nodded to Noire, before she put on the plaid hat and comfy red scarf that Noire had just fished out of a closet. As they made their way towards the main gate, they could already see the wall of guards, barring the angry hordes of journalists from the building premise. There didn't seem to be a way out of this lockdown.

"Is there another exit? A backdoor, maybe?"

"No idea." Noire shook her head.

"Hey!"

A guard turned back at the sound of their footsteps. After a curt nod towards his colleagues, he approached them with an outstretched hand.

"Why are you inside Lady Grey Heart's headquarter? Show me your visitor cards."

"U-Uhh..."

"Screw this!" Nakayama immediately grabbed Noire's arm, while she was still trying to stutter out an explanation. "Let's get back inside!"

The guard blew his whistle, alerting all of his comrades as the two girls rushed back into the building, frantically glancing around for a backdoor or side exit.

"Stop right there!" More shouts and whistles were coming from behind, and they did not dare to look back.

* * *

The officers were using shields to push back the crowd now—if what Neptune saw through the gaps between people was accurate. She was hiding behind the building proper, but Noire and Nakayama were nowhere to be found.

Why hadn't they escaped yet? She tiptoed a little, and peered through the window above her head, but all she could see was her own reflection in the opaque, mirror-like surface.

"Dang it, Noire!" She pouted. "I didn't mean to start a riot, y'know?"

She put a hand to her chin, as she paced around the building. The main entrance was definitely out of bounds, but maybe there could be a backdoor? Just when this thought crossed her mind, she saw a large garage gate, guarded by a single man, who was yawning in the shadow of the building.

Well, breaking in there was still risky, but at least it was better than saying hello to the riot shields with her forehead.

"Where the Nep are you, Noire? How am I supposed to find you now?"

A loud ramble came from the distance. She turned back, and saw a truck driving past her, the Intellastion emblem on its bumper shimmering under the sunlight. With a screech of the brakes, the driver stopped the vehicle, and quickly disappeared into a nearby portable toilet. As Neptune eyed the truck, there was suddenly a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Hehehe..." She chuckled.

* * *

"Have they found them yet, sis?"

"No, they haven't called me back for a while."

Sylvania sighed and slouched back into her seat, as Lessa drove the car onto the highway. Perhaps the pair they were searching for had already escaped out of the nation at this point—but she should not give up just yet.

"About the search...is it so important that we had to hide it from that girl?"

"Of course!" Sylvania nodded. "After all, she's still a journalist, and I don't want that story to be leaked to the public."

What ensued was a long silence, before Lessa started speaking again.

"Uh, sis, if I may ask..." Lessa gave her a concerned look. "What's so important about these two? We've already caught Nakayama, and could have pushed for an offensive against Planeptune in her absence, but you just..."

"True. Her defeat can bring our nation some prestige, but there's something _more_ important."

"And what is it?"

"Something that these two girls have."

Sylvania did not elaborate further, and they both went back to staring at the tall buildings that flashed past the car windows, as they continued to drive on the road. Finally, her phone rang, and Sylvania quickly picked it up.

"Did you find them?"

"No, milady, but we do have a problem here." The guard said. "We've found two individuals trespassing into your home in the wake of the riot."

"Just apprehend them, then! Don't call me again, unless you found the two girls."

"U-Uh yes, Lady Sylvania! My apology..."

Sylvania huffed, put the phone down, and closed her eyes. Lessa must have noticed her unusual grumpiness, for she soon slowed down the car a little, and turned to her.

"Sis? Are you okay?"

"W-What?" Her eyes snapped open again. "Oh right, I'm just feeling a bit stressed out."

"You can relax once we're back, and I'll look for them, sis. Don't worry about it!"

"No no, I'm feeling fine," Sylvania said. "I don't need to go back to the hospital."

"If you say so..." Lessa sighed. "Where are we supposed to go again?"

"I need to meet with the captain. There's something that I need to do."

"Alright then!" Lessa stepped down on the gas pedal, and the car zoomed towards the highway exit.

* * *

Noire and Nakayama split up when they caught sight of a bunch of guards jogging through the hallway, their batons out and ready. After what seemed like an eternity of wandering around the hallways, trying to lose the pursuers, they finally met up again inside a small room.

"Did we lose them?" Noire whispered, as she peered through the narrow gap between the door and the wall.

"I guess so," Nakayama said. "They're gone now. Let's go."

The two girls left their hiding spot together, still panting in exhaustion from the long cat-and-mouse game between them and the guards.

"Can't we just use little cubey to fight them?"

Nakayama shook her head. "We might alarm the whole building, and if they call Sylvania back after that, we'd be dead."

"I don't think it's a good idea to jump out of the window either," Noire peeked outside the window, and shuddered a little at the height.

"I could probably jump out there in my HDD. At the risk of being recognized by everyone on the street, that is."

"How the hell will we get out from this mess, then?"

"If this is Sylvania's home, there must be like, a backroom used by her workers, right..." Nakayama said. "Which floor are we on right now?"

"The second floor, probably." Noire replied, before she pushed on the glass pane a little, and noticed something unusual. "Really? Double-layered bulletproof glass? Is her home a fortress or what?"

"You can never be too careful, I guess." Nakayama chuckled. "We should head back down to the first floor, and search for a backdoor."

"But that floor is already full of guards looking for us! We can't just sneak past that many people—"

Noire's protest was interrupted when Nakayama pushed open a door on the left, revealing a well-lit room. A huge wardrobe, much larger than anything in a typical household, stood at its center, and Nakayama's eyes lit up when she saw the brooms and mops propped up against the wall, arranged in a neat row.

"There are servants around her home, right?"

"Yeah, I did see some of them while trying to find you," Noire gave her an understanding smile. "Think we should change our disguise again?"

"Yeah," Nakayama nodded. "Let's do it!"

* * *

"Attention. Two teenage girls have entered Lady Sylvania's home without permission. If you find them, report their location to us immediately. Try to capture them if possible."

The guard captain announced, while circling around the entrance hall in a steadfast pace, as his fellow guards gathered the maids and butlers together in the entrance hall.

"Every single one of you, keep an eye on Lady Sylvania's valuables, in case these thieves have sneaked into her room. I don't want them to sell her personal belongings to some perverted bastards."

"I assure you that every important room is already locked, the moment the riot begins." The head maid nodded.

"Is that so, Miss APh?" The captain said. "It's nice to hear that you have issued orders in advance, prior to the break-in."

"While I was unaware of the latter, I do feel relieved that my actions can be of some help." APh smiled. "Such is my duty as a servant of Lady Sylvania and Lady Lessa."

"Very well. If you found the two, call us immediately."

"The other maids and butlers would inform me first," A confident smile appeared on the woman's face, as she cracked her bare knuckles, "If they are looking for a fight, I doubt our regular servants could give them a good beating, right?"

"U-Uh, of course! Considering your background, I don't think anyone would doubt your capabilities."

APh gestured towards the servants, who scattered into the corridors in front of them, before walking away with the captain.

"You should keep looking for them right now," APh said. "I hope you aren't thinking about slacking off to eat donuts?"

"Of course not." The captain sighed. "Though I feel like I've seen these two girls somewhere before..."

* * *

Noire peeked out into the hallway. After making sure no one was there, they quickly scurried out of the room, wearing their new maid disguises. It was almost a little nostalgic to Noire, having worn quite a lot of similar clothes for cosplay before. Nakayama, however, was a lot less comfortable in her dress.

"Do we have to wear these uniforms?" Nakayama blushed. "This skirt is too small, and you sure people won't be peeking at my..."

"Lucky for you. You can just materialize your clothes back, and I can't." Noire groaned. "Losing your power and becoming human sure is...inconvenient. Never have to carry my clothes in a bag before."

"Well, that's true, but I don't feel like abusing it."

The Hypercube was rattling in discomfort inside Noire's bag, clearly not used to being buried under layers of clothes.

"Shh! Keep it quiet!" Noire warned it in a hushed voice. "You could've bought a bigger bag, Nakayama. Just saying."

"Hey!"

A pair of maids waved to them from the other end of the hallway, and Noire immediately hid the bag behind her back. Both of them waved back, trying their best to squeeze out a smile.

"O-Oh! H-Hey!" Noire stuttered. "Hello to you too!"

"Huh? I haven't seen you girls before." One of the maids squinted at them.

"You must be new around here, right?" The other maid smiled, as she reached out her hand towards them. "Nice to meet you!"

"Huh? There are new maids coming today?"

"Of course, you dingo! Haven't you heard the news?"

"Oh! Right. The news."

"Heh, that's right!" Nakyama chuckled nervously, as she shook their hands. "We can't wait to start our new careers!"

"Wait, have you heard the briefing?"

"Uh, no," Noire shook her head. "We just got here."

"Oh dear..." The maid frowned. "We're sorry for not telling you sooner, but there are two teenage intruders sneaking around this place. We are supposed to keep an eye out for them, and make sure that nothing is stolen."

"Ughh!" The other maid shuddered. "I hope they aren't too dangerous. I don't want to get hurt."

"Calm down, calm down!" Her friend gave her a pat on the back. "As long as we stick together, they won't be able to hurt us!"

"U-Uh, of course! Hehe.."

"Y-Yeah, we better not run into them or anything..." Noire said in an awkward voice.

"Well, if we did find them, the guards or the head maid herself would come and help us!"

"Head maid?"

"That would be me."

A calm voice came from behind them. Noire and Nakayama couldn't recognize the blonde woman, but the two maids quickly bowed to her.

"Miss APh!" They said in unison. "We didn't know you were heading this way!"

"I was checking the corridors, that's all," She replied, before glancing at Noire and Nakayama. "...Are these our new maids?"

"Yup!" The maids smiled, "They arrived a bit later than scheduled, though."

"That's odd." APh raised her eyebrow. "You two don't look like the girls on the application forms..."

"O-Oh!" Noire stuttered. "We have used a little bit of...makeup, since it's our first day on the job. Just want to leave a good impression!"

"_A lot_ of makeup, you mean? Because you girls submitted your forms yesterday, and now I can barely recognize you."

"W-Well, we must have gotten carried away..."

Noire and Nakayama's grin was becoming more stiff and awkward, as the head maid eyed them with great suspicion, and beads of sweat were forming on their forehead.

"Very well then," APh sighed. "But you two have to update your ID photos this week, Ue and Hataraki."

"Huh?" Nakayama blinked, before quickly nodding in her direction. "O-Oh right! We should take another picture later, Ue!"

"That's right! Hataraki!" Noire chuckled. "We really are bad at choosing makeup, hehe..."

"...At least you are honest." The head maid scoffed, "Whatever. Right now, I want you girls to scour around the corridors and the rooms for the two trespassers. Be sure that every part of the Lady's home is clear, before you come back. Understood?"

"Yes, Miss APh," The two maids answered, to which APh responded with a smile, before she glanced back at "Ue" and "Hataraki", frowning slightly.

"Since you're new here, I wouldn't want you to run into these...potentially dangerous individuals. But for now, just follow Roklan and Imagic. They'll show you around."

"Alright then!" The maid—Roklan—smiled, and grabbed their arms. "The more the merrier! Come on, let's go!"

"W-Wait! Slow down!"

As the four maids disappeared into the corridor, they did not see APh standing there, gazing at the two newcomers with intense suspicion.

* * *

The guard standing in front of the garage gate was yawning and stretching out his arms in the shadows, before he heard the engine noises and opened his eyes. A truck was approaching the gate, and it grinded to a halt right in front of him.

"You're late," He let out a chuckle at the sight of the driver. "Hangover, huh?"

"The wild, wild parties are worth it, though. Can't blame me for enjoying the good times." The bearded driver grinned. "Though it really upsets my stomach. You could've come over and dragged me home or something, y'know."

"I wish," he smiled, "But you know how milady is. A sweet cup of wine is not worth the loss of my job."

"What a shame. Anyway, I'm not too much behind schedule, right?"

"You're fine, don't worry," The guard gestured to the entrance. "It's just regular groceries. No one cares if they arrive a little later than usual."

The guard pulled a lever, and the gate rolled open behind him, allowing the truck to enter the huge garage behind it. The driver soon hit the brakes, however, and stepped down the vehicle, holding a hand over his stomach.

"This again..? Ack-! Mother.."

He rushed into the building proper, no doubt looking for a bathroom. As his frantic footsteps faded away, Neptune finally poked her head out from the back of the truck, and leaped off the vehicle after making sure that no one was watching.

"Phew! Objective complete!" Neptune grinned. "Here comes the protagonist, sneaking into the enemy base like a pro! Next step: finding Noire and Nakayama!"

Light panels barely lit the dim indoor space, as she sneaked her way out of the garage and into the corridors. No one was around, however, to her great relief.

"I can't believe I'm scared back there. There's no way they can take on the four of us, right?" A feminine voice suddenly came from around the corner. It was getting closer and closer, too.

"Nepu-?!" Neptune gasped, before she caught sight of something lying nearby. "Aha!"

She lifted the brown cardboard box and snuck underneath, pressing her face against the floor and peeking out from the narrow gap beneath. Only stocking and fancy shoes could be seen from this angle, however, as the four people walked past.

"I'm a little jealous of Miss APh, though." One of them said. "She's super special, even before she starts working here."

"Really?" Another voice replied, which sounded oddly familiar to Neptune. "How so?"

"You don't know? Before she started working for Lady Sylvania, she's an athletic superstar! Isn't that right, Imagic?"

"Yeah!" The 'Imagic' girl replied. "Racing, boxing, baseball, soccer, basketball, football...I can become so good at so many things only in my dreams, hehe."

"Well, it's not like I want to be a superstar or anything, Roklan...But for an athletic star, why would she sacrifice her career, just to become Lady Sylvania's maid?"

Neptune frowned at the familiar voice. This one too? Why did it sound like she had heard the person speak before?

"We honestly don't know." The "Roklan" girl replied. "We're also wondering why she'd leave her fame for this. I wanted to ask Miss APh, but it's just...rude to ask something so personal, right?"

"Yep." Imagic sighed. "But for now, we should look around the back rooms. See if they're hiding in here."

As the group of maids walked away, Neptune lifted the cardboard box a little higher. Now she could see their entire bodies from behind, and the moment she saw the two maids' hairstyle, she let out a horrified gasp.

"Oh no.." Neptune muttered. "Did they just…brainwash Noire and Nakayama and turn them into some kind of maid minions?! No! I must save them from Sylvania's dark magic!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

_APh_, _Roklan_, and _Imagic_ were based on the companies of the same name.

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreader & Editor


	14. You Can't Beat the System

_\- ?_

After hopping off the ship, the girls ventured into the depth of the woods around the shore. IF shoved the overgrown shrubs and vines aside, and gestured for her friends to go first.

"Can't believe they just dropped us off like some cargo, without giving us any directions," IF grumbled.

"Hmm," Origin put a hand to her chin, "Considering the sudden feeling of Déjà vu, I must have visited this place before. Where could it be?"

"We are in Colesia," Sir-Tech said, "According to my magic, at least."

"Does your magic work like some kind of echolocation technology?" IF shot her a curious glance.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Colesia?"

"Ah yes, the home of Lady Dina!" Origin smiled at Compa, "Colesia has become one of the great powers of Gamindustri under her ruleship. A truly formidable feat."

"Really?" Blanc said, "I never thought this Gamindustri has an...inequality of powers between nations."

"How very interesting," Vert nodded, "Out of all the 'great powers', which one of them is the strongest, I wonder?"

"I'd say it's a tie between Magnabox and Tari," Sir-Tech answered.

_There's a Tari in this dimension, too...? _Blanc thought, frowning. _What the hell is going on?_

"Indeed, the glory of these two nations are unmatched throughout Gamindustri!" Origin cheered, "I admire Lady Odyssee and Magnabox the most, though. The richness and beauty of her land is renowned since the very beginning of the First Console War."

"Lady Odyssee was my teacher, back in the academy. I'd take her side without doubt." Sir-Tech's brow furrowed up, "Not to mention I always felt a little bit troubled by Tari."

"Huh? How so?"

"Tari has no maturity and restraint, despite their long history. The CPU's words are laws, and whatever she wants, she seizes them with no thought about the consequences. If you dare to question her, well..."

"Well, that's Rei for you." Blanc mumbled.

"I'm curious, though." Sir-Tech suddenly turned towards Blanc. "If you _are_ a CPU, why have we never heard of your name before?"

"Still doubting us?"

"Not at all." The wizard shook her head, "Your battle with Lady Famika truly proves your strength as a CPU."

"Indeed." Origin had an expectant look on her face. "I was hoping that I could see thy HDD Form back then. Perhaps thou would be willing to satisfy my trivial curiosity, sometimes in the future?"

"Let's just say that they are...unavailable at the moment, hehe." IF shrugged. "Anyway, what other nations are there on the mainland?"

"Well, there's Intellastion, Balarch, and Planeptune."

The girl perked up when they heard the last name.

"Ah yes, Planeptune!" IF said. "Maybe we can find Nep and the others there?"

"Unfortunately, it's about half a continent away," Sir-Tech sighed, "Besides, it's really getting late. I don't think you'd fancy camping out in the wilds tonight?"

"I agree," Origin nodded. "We are closest to Colesia right now, I suppose?"

"Yep," Sir-Tech replied, "My DUMAPIC spell has never failed me before."

"Off to Colesia we go, then." Vert said, pouting a little. "It's going to be a real hassle to travel to Planeptune afterwards, isn't it?"

"Fret not! This is just the beginning of our adventure!" Origin gave her a dramatic salute, "I'm sure the journey will only get more exciting from now on!"

"Yeah!" Compa said, "I'm sure nothing will go wrong, after our...little problem in Lowee."

"Let's hope you're right," IF sighed. "You two lead the way, okay?"

"Of course," Origin grabbed Sir-Tech's hand, "To Colesia!"

* * *

They found themselves in the midst of a suburban neighborhood, where every building was built out of red bricks and white concrete, with cursive signs all over the place. As they strolled along the sidewalk, a few oddly-shaped cars whizzed past them.

Everything in the surrounding—from the gadgets carried by vendors, to the cars, to the park benches, had a meticulous, hand-crafted feel to them, a stark departure from the bland, mass-produced commercial products that they'd gotten used to. How inconvenient it would be, to create every furniture and tool on their own? Still, the creativity was impressive.

"Feels good coming back here!" Origin stretched out her arms, "I can't believe we've been gone for so long."

"Our adventure in Lowee isn't even finished," Sir-Tech shrugged. "I'd like to learn a few tricks from Lowee's mages in that contest, at least."

"You're still not over it...?"

"Oh, forgive me for my blabbering."

"Lady Dina builds a sizable portion of the city on her own. Her admirable feat is what inspires her people to be more creative, and reject the foreign industrial plants who only have their eyes on the credits." Origin pointed to the buildings across the streets.

"So she's like an engineer?" Vert asked.

"Not exactly a full-time one, per se." Sir-Tech shook her head, "It's more of a…hobbyist lifestyle for her."

"She's still putting the duty of a CPU as her top priority," Origin said, "But I respect her dedication to her...creative side."

"Her geeky life, you mean." Sir-Tech raised an eyebrow.

"Hey! That's no proper way of referring to Milady."

Sir-Tech responded to Origin's chiding with a scoff. "Lady Odyssee is the only one I'd call 'Milady', unironically."

"B-But don't you think that's a little too blunt?" Compa let out an awkward chuckle.

"Why not? It's the truth."

"If I were her and heard you say that, I'd probably kick your butt." Blanc commented in a monotone voice.

"Of course, my flat-chested Lady."

"What did you just say?!"

Blanc was about to drag Sir-Tech up by the collar of her robe, before IF and Compa grabbed her sleeves and pulled her back.

"L-Lady Blanc!" IF yelled, "Please calm down!"

"My my, Sir-Tech," Vert chuckled, "I can't believe you're such a tease. That should've been my line!"

"You're not helping, Thundertits!"

"Wretched wizard!" Origin glared at Sir-Tech, "Why are thee so insolent towards the Goddesses today?"

"As I said," She answered, "Lady Odyssee is the only one I respect."

"You really are her loyal student, aren't you." Blanc sighed and stepped back, after she had calmed down.

The party earned some weird looks from passersby due to their strange outfits, but other than that, most people were minding their own businesses. The windows began to lit up one by one as it approached twilight, and the architecture looked even more glamorous in the evening glow.

The girls were glancing around, searching for an inn, when a cloaked figure brushed past them, their face hidden under the shadow of the rough brown hood. They could still feel a keen gaze that sent shivers up their spine, however, and they only caught sight of a strand of blonde hair before the figure walked away.

IF and Blanc continued to stare at the cloaked silhouette, while Origin gripped the handle of her broadsword, but the mysterious individual did not spare a single glance at them. As their shadow faded away on the horizon, the girls let out a sigh of relief. Sir-Tech was still staring, with a blank expression, even after the figure had long disappeared.

"That person is creepy." Compa shuddered a little. "For a sec, I thought they were gonna hurt us!"

"Yes indeed." Origin nodded, and let go of her sword. "If that bandit truly had malicious intent, they'd not stand a chance against our party."

"Well… you do realize you're wearing your armor, right?" IF pointed at the knight, "That must've scared her off."

"Is that so, my fellow adventurer? Still, I suppose my faith in the Virtues does imbue me with an aura of bravery!"

"I'd break every single bone in her body if she tried something funny." Blanc groaned, "Whoever she is, she better not come back again."

"Oh, Blanc..." Vert said, "Don't you think you're overreacting?"

"Well, duh. After fighting off so many perverted bastards in Lowee, I guess I can never be too careful."

"On the bright side, we haven't gotten into a fight. Or get mugged." IF said, "How about we just walk away, and pretend that nothing ever happened?"

"As my superior, Lord Britannia once said: 'Better set thy heart on the future, than on the grudges of thy past'!" Origin smiled. "What a pity that the sun shall set so soon. Let's head for the nearest inn."

"I agree," Vert sighed, "I can't wait to lie on a bed and have a nice beauty sleep."

"Since everyone agrees to it," IF said, "Off we go!"

The moon rose from the distant horizon, as they made their way through the streets, illuminated by a sea of streetlights. Amongst the chatter of her companions, Sir-Tech was still keeping an eye on the alleyways, as if expecting a cloaked figure to pop up at any second.

"What is she doing here...?"

* * *

It didn't take long for them to settle down inside a small, cozy cottage for the night. Everyone in the party—except Sir-Tech—gasped in awe when they saw the huge comfy bed, and quickly hopped onto it.

"This feels so good!" IF buried her face in one of the pillows, "Why don't we have something like this back home?"

"Lady Blanc! Lady Vert!" Compa called out to the two CPUs, "Come on!"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming. You two sure act like children from time to time," Vert chuckled, and sat down on the bed.

"Ah, finally!" Origin exclaimed, after she had carefully taken off her chainmail vest and draped it on top of her plate armor pieces, "A good rest!"

She cannonballed onto the bed, with a force that almost threw everyone onto the floor. Blanc's book flew out of her hand, and landed a few feet away from her.

"Hey!" Blanc shrieked, as she picked up the book she had taken from the inn counter, "Be more gentle next time, please?! We only have one bed in this room, and I'm trying to read!"

"My apology, Lady Blanc!"

"This bed is absurdly big, but I hope it won't get too cramped when we actually lie on it..." Vert frowned, "Haven't we asked the maids for separate beds?"

"I don't know, but from the looks of it, it's spacious enough even with four people on it."

"What about you, Sir-Tech?" Compa glanced over at the wizard, who had been staring at the floor for awhile now. "Do you want to sleep here, or on a different bed?"

"Neither," She shook her head, "I'm going out soon. I may find another place to stay for the night."

"Thou must be joking?" said Origin, "It's quite rare for thee to conduct a 'study' at this hour!"

"It's important."

Without further explanation, Sir-Tech grabbed her cloak and staff, and walked out of the room, completely oblivious to the puzzled glances of her companions.

"...Does she always walk out on you like that?" IF asked, after a long silence.

"N-No." Origin frowned, "I've never seen her staying up this late during any of our adventures."

"Would she be okay?" Compa shot them a worried glance.

"My guts tells me that she would be fine, albeit my intellect says the opposite..."

"If she can beat a squad of Lowee soldiers with her magic, then I bet she'd be alright." IF sighed, "Nothing bad could be lurking on the city streets, right?"

* * *

Nighttime in Colesia was as chilling as that of Lowee, despite the lack of snow. Sir-Tech wrapped her cloak tighter to herself, as she wandered around the empty streets, lit only by the faint light of twinkling stars.

Eventually, she stopped in a spacious square, right in front of a luxurious mansion. The building was guarded by a sturdy steel fence. The bright light coming out of the glass windows reflected off the jewel on her staff. No guards could be seen. Before long, a cloaked figure slipped out of the shadows, and stopped next to her.

"Why are you here?"

* * *

Tari glowed like a magnificent crown under the dark sky. Above the sleeping residents, a strangely shaped aircraft hovered past the buildings, taking great care to stay inside the few patches of darkness in the city.

"AB. Astro, what's the current status?" Zappa called through the intercom.

"As clear as the stars, over!" She answered, "As long you stay below the radar range, you're good to go!"

"At this altitude, the buildings are a real hazard." Galaxa turned towards her co-pilot—Zappa, "Can't we fly any higher than this?"

"Negative, Captain." Estella called from the other side of the control cabin. "The jet isn't designed for direct combat against Tari's fleets. Bring 'er up, and they'd dogpile us once they saw the radar alert."

"Roger that, then." Galaxa sighed. "Are you sure our dealer is reliable?"

"Of course. I've finished the deal with them in advance, before Astro called their shop."

"Huh?" Astro made a weird sound, "What the hell? Why do you still need me to buy supplies if you already have the parts ready?"

"They don't actually have the parts ready when I called." Estella explained, "It's a backup plan, just in case something goes wrong in Balarch. "

"So you already knew this was bound to happen?"

"Maybe," Estella shrugged, "Just meet up with them, and I'll do the talk."

"U-Uh, copy that, I guess."

Slowly but surely, the jet maneuvered around the blocky buildings. The pilots eyed the glass walls uneasily as they brushed past the buildings, as if expecting to stare right into the eyes of a curious resident. Galaxa slouched back in her seat, while Zappa carefully spun the control wheel.

"Hey guys, who thought flying this slowly is a good idea?" Galaxa asked, "Everyone can see us at this height. We don't need to make ourselves into a giant clay pigeon."

"Me." Astro's voice came through the speaker. "We won't want to scare the people on our way there, right?"

"Yeah, Astro. Like a giant, slow-moving jet isn't ominous enough already." Galaxa whined. "How about we just step on the pedal and speed it up a little?"

"Jets like this don't have a pedal." Zappa replied flatly.

"Come on, that's just sarcasm!"

"Alright then," Zappa turned back. "Maj. Estella, permission to accelerate to maximum speed?"

"Really?!" Astro protested.

"I'm pretty sure we have no stealth factor whatsoever at this point." Galaxa sighed. "Whether we go fast or slow, it won't make a difference."

"The buildings are still a hazard at low altitude, Zappa," Estella said, "It doesn't look feasible to me, but perhaps you can make it work?"

"I take that as an affirmative."

"Huh? Zappa?" Galaxa frowned, "What are you doing?"

"Fasten your seat belts," Zappa pressed a couple of buttons, "Things are going to get a little bit bumpy."

"You're not going to...?"

With a push of the lever, her jet's booster began to charge up, creating a ball of sparking plasma that could be seen from the cockpit as the jet hovered in a stationary position.

"Zappa, what are you doing?" Astro's yell came through the speaker.

"Activating Secondary Propulsion Systems. The password is 'Super-zapper'."

She pushed the lever all the way down, and the jet accelerated to a sonic speed, slamming everyone's backs against their seats. The buildings outside the cockpit windows became a blur of colors.

"Z-Zappa?!"

"Zappa, slow down!" Estella shouted, "I thought you'd have more discretion?"

"If we are going fast, I suppose I can get us there in one hour." Zappa calmly replied, "I take your remarks as a challenge."

"Still, that's too fast!" Astro complained, "You'll crash into a building at this rate!"

Oblivious to her warning, Zappa steered the ship through a narrow gap between two buildings. Galaxa was gripping the seat handle like her life depended on it, while Zappa's expression was as calm as ever.

Zappa made a sharp turn to the right, before the jet dropped down at a breathtaking speed, towards the highway bridge below and narrowly avoiding crashing into a huge skyscraper. Before long, a cluster of buildings popped up in front of them, completely blocking their view and leaving no space to fly through.

"Zappa!" Galaxa screamed, "Slow down! Slow down!"

"No."

"You'll end up getting us killed!"

"No."

"Zappa! There's no other way to go, you have to stop now!" Estella demanded.

"I-I can't watch this..." Astro's voice was shaking, before the communication cut off.

Zappa's expression was completely blank and devoid of emotion, as the jet flew straight at the buildings, with no signs of slowing down whatsoever. A split second before the incoming collision, Zappa pushed on the steering wheel, and the entire jet dived down towards the highway, zooming right into the tunnel at its end.

"Zappa, you're crazy!" Galaxa shrieked, "I can't believe Estella agrees to this plan!"

"Aren't you the one who wants us to go faster?" Zappa's reply sounded almost a little smug.

"Guys? Where are you now?" Astro seemed to switch on the radio again. "You're heading in the wrong direction, and I'm losing your signals."

"I got that covered, Astro." Zappa replied.

The top of the jet's hull was scratching against the tunnel ceiling, creating a streak of sparks in the air as Zappa maneuvered the ship through the narrow space of the tunnel. Finally, they saw an opening, and the jet soared upwards, back into the open air.

"Just a heads-up, folks, the city authorities have been notified. I can hear them on the police radio." Astro sighed, "Jeez! What are you thinking, Zappa?!"

"Calm down, Astro, I'm sure we are still outside of their radar range."

"So…Where do we go now?" Galaxa muttered, putting a hand to her forehead.

"Go left."

"Copy."

The jet flew past the districts below. The further they went, the more scattered the buildings became, and the blinding neon lights faded into the darkness of the night. They must have reached the city limits. Zappa glanced at Estella, who nodded in return.

"This is the place," Estella said, "I'll tell you where to land it."

* * *

Estella gestured for her crewmates to park the jet besides the garage, and climbed down the metal ladder. A teenage girl in a mechanic outfit poked her head out from behind the door, after the loud engine noises had died down.

"Estella?!" She yelled, "Is that you?!"

"Ah, Midway, glad you made the call," Estella approached her, and gave her a firm handshake. "You have the engine parts ready?"

"Uh, yes! I got them packaged up in a crate," Midway nodded, "A-Are you sure you can carry all of them in one ship?"

"Yes. What's the total price?"

While the pair began a round of friendly bargaining, Zappa and Galaxa also exited the ship, and started tying up the crates under the jet with chains. Finally, Estella handed the girl a bundle of bills.

"Y-You wouldn't rat me out if you got caught, right?" Midway asked.

"Of course not. Even if we did, I haven't forced you to deliver anything out of the city perimeter, so you should be fine."

"Well, that's true, but still..."

Estella turned and walked back towards the jet. Soon, the entire squad was inside the cockpit, their packages secured tightly below the jet wings. Below them, Midway waved one last goodbye before disappearing into the garage, and the jet took off in the blink of an eye.

"Yes, yes, what's up, Astro?" Galaxa asked, "We got the package secured,"

"Guys? You haven't forgotten your stunt back in town, right?" Astro groaned, "I can see their dispatch signals on my radars! Hurry up!"

"Shoot..." Galaxa frowned. "I guess the speed isn't worth it, after all."

"Yeah," Estella nodded. "Looks like this is gonna be a long night."

* * *

Astro slouched back in her armchair—which she had dragged off her ship, lazily glancing over the texts and numbers on her GUI screen. The bright green dot of Zappa's jet was travelling in giant circles, no doubt trying to throw off any would-be pursuers.

She grabbed a can of soda that Nepgear had given to her before her departure, and started chugging it down. Hacking through Tari's communication channels was surprisingly easy, and just as she made a huge yawn, another voice came through the radio.

"All units nearby, several residents had witnessed an unidentified aircraft, flying at a dangerously low altitude. They are last seen in the Sunnyvale District. Keep a close surveillance on the airspace within Tari's city limits."

"So, as long as they were staying away from the city, they should be A-okay," Astro took another sip, "Man, this drink is good!"

Astro stepped out of the tent she had set up next to their ships, to take a breath of fresh air. As she glanced up at the moon, its faint light reflected off the dented hull and bare metal of her ship. She let out a deep sigh at the sight.

"It sucks to see you this banged-up." Astro pressed a palm against the hull. "Heck, you're probably the last of your kind."

She soon returned to the tent, and sat down in front of the computer screen again. The jet's position had changed, but they did not seem to be in danger. Right at that moment, the bulky walkie-talkie besides her started ringing—Zappa must have left it there.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Astro, it's me, Nepgear!" A slightly nervous voice came through the speaker. "I thought Zappa would be on the call."

"Oh, her? She's not back yet."

"Really? I'm sorry for disturbing you, then..." Nepgear's voice trailed off. "Uni is already asleep, Rom and Ram haven't woken up yet, and I can't sleep until you and the others come back."

"Don't worry about it." Astro shook her head. "Please go get some sleep. There's a lot of work to be done, and I think we won't be back before midnight."

"Oh really? Have you already started repairing your ships?"

"Not yet." Astro replied. "Estella and the others haven't returned with the parts yet. Things turn out...differently than we expected, and it's gonna be a much longer trip."

"I-I see..." Nepgear said. "Be careful then! Don't stay up too late either. You need some good rest, too."

"I know, I know!" Astro laughed, "We'll meet up with you in the morning."

Thus she ended their call with a press of a button, laying it back to her table. Viewing back to her screen until something pops up from her system.

With a press of a button, she ended the call, and put the walkie-talkie back down. She gazed back at her screen, and soon, two small dots entered the edge of her vision.

"What the—" Astro frowned, and began typing on her keyboard. "Oh no."

* * *

The jet was now flying above a pitch-black forest. The light from its headlights was shining through the dense vegetation. Zappa was still on her pilot seat, while Estella peered over her HUD, and Galaxa had her headphones on, listening attentively to the radio channels.

"I don't know the exact range of Tari's radar, but just to be careful, we should move even further before flying to a higher altitude." Estella said. "How's the waves going, Galaxa?"

"Still picking up commercials from the civilian channels." She shrugged. "I don't think they'd just broadcast the positions of their forces on the standard frequencies."

"Well, we have Astro to take care of that." Estelle said. "Now, speaking about Astro, why is she suddenly so quiet?"

"We've been circling around the city for awhile now." Zappa replied. "Maybe she just ran out of conversation topics. I'm sure she'll call us if she picks up something."

"Yeah, not like I'm judging or anything...but Zappa's antic has probably wasted us more time in the long term."

"I can never turn down a challenge." Zappa responded with a wink.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

The long silence that ensued was only broken by a beep from the radio. Estella picked up the communicator again.

"What's the news, Astro?"

"Guys, we got company!" Astro yelled. "I'm picking up several signals near your position!"

"What?!" Estella frowned. "Why now? If they've spotted us, they'd never let us get out of the city limits."

"Not to mention we've been keeping our altitude low for the whole time." Galaxa added, "You sure that Midway girl hasn't betrayed us or anything?!"

"Of course not, captain!" Estella looked a little offended, "She's a friend of mine before I joined the military! Midway would never do such a thing!"

"Huh?" Zappa frowned, as she reached out to grab the altimeter. "What the?"

"Zappa? What's wrong?"

"The altimeter's jammed." She answered. "Don't know when it happened, but we've been inside their detection range for a while now, judging by how off the measurement is."

"Oh dear..." Galaxa groaned. "I bet it's your crazy stunt that broke it!"

"Whatever happened, we can't change it now." Estella said. "Tell Astro to keep updating us on the enemies' position, Galaxa."

"Roger that."

"Zappa, let me use your turret system. I'll be the gun, you'll be the run."

"Affirmative."

Another set of controllers dropped down from the ceiling, and landed in front of Estella's seat. Gripping them tightly, she soon began to adjust the aim of the turrets, before the jet's radar let out a beep, and Zappa pushed the lever all the way down at the sound.

A pair of fighter jets, one green and one red, soared up behind them. They briefly caught a glimpse of the emblem of Tari on the two ships' hulls, and the blue flare of their engines, before they increased their speed and became two blurry shadows.

"This is Combat Green-Jet, approaching the target." A low voice came through the radio. "Permission to open fire?"

"Combat Green-Jet, this is Combat Red-Jet. You are authorized to eliminate the target, over."

A sharp sound rang through the air, before multiple homing missiles shot out from the wings of both jets, heading straight towards their direction.

"Swing it, Zappa!"

The jet made a 180 degree turn and swung to the side, swiftly dodging the missiles. The weight of the package, however, caused the ship to lose balance and made a sharp dive. Estella almost lost her grip as she tried to rotate the turrets further back, to no avail.

"Zappa, is that the maximum rotation angle of your turrets?"

"Sadly, yes. This ship is built for speed and hit-and-run tactics, not full-on fire support."

"Dang it..." Estella mumbled. "Then let's get into a better position."

"Roger that."

Another sharp turn. The ship was swinging back and forth, despite Zappa's best effort to make it fly up.

"Guys, can we really fight while carrying these crates?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Well, I don't think Midway can order these parts again, if we lost them!" Estella yelled, "We _have to_ make it work!"

"Guess this is our only shot then?" Galaxa nodded. "Fine. Let's dive lower, Maj. Estella!"

The jet shot towards the woods below, creating a blast of wind as they cut through the gaps between the heavy vegetation, leaving a trail of broken branches and flying leaves behind them. They almost slammed straight into the trees for a couple of times, while the two enemy jets hovered in the sky, hesitant to pursue their target into the woods.

"Woah, are you seeing this?" One of the pilots sounded almost impressed. "Can't believe they have the guts to fly at that height!"

"Whoever that pilot is, they must've been a veteran or professional stuntman. Let's see if we can force their jet out of there."

Another wave of rockets showered down from above, creating giant craters and toppling the trees in their blast radius. Still, as the jet flew deeper into the woods, and took shelter underneath the heavy canopy, none of the rockets came close to connecting with their target.

"I've lost visual contact with the target," A grunt, "Combat Red-Jet, what's your status?"

"I've lost them too, over," The other pilot replied, "But they can't maneuver themselves out of those woods. The moment they fly back up in the air, we'd demolish it!"

The two enemy ships were still scanning the woods when the jet soared up behind them. Estella gripped her controller even tighter, and focused the crosshair on her targets.

"You mess with the wrong rangers!" She smirked, and pressed down the button.

The turrets spew out a barrage of projectiles. Most of them connected with the red and green jets, blasting the armor plates off their hulls, and the two jets barely dodged the second wave of bullets.

"Dang it!" One of the pilots cursed, "They baited us!"

"Combat Red-Jet, prepare for a pincer maneuver. Now that they've shown themselves, we can't miss this chance."

"Copy that."

The two jets went in opposite directions. Galaxa's brows furrowed up as she saw them circling around the jet, trying to flank it. Zappa made multiple rolls and dives, but had to stop before the shaky balance of the jet crashed them into the ground.

"They're gonna hit us from both sides." Galaxa said. "We can't keep this up for long, Estella! Not while carrying the crates!"

"I know that." Estella frowned. "We'd have to outrun them, quick. Zappa, can you do that?"

"If my engine is at full power, maybe,"Zappa looked a little unsure, "But if we can somehow distract them? Certainly."

"Alright, I'll contact Astro and ask for an update on the local terrain." Estella picked up her radio. "Let's see if she has any useful tips..."

Another missile whizzed past them. The jet dived down, but the shockwave still shook the entire cockpit.

"AB. Astro, Can you identify any potential spot of evasion?"

"I'm seeing something," They could hear frantic tapping coming through the radio. "The forest is dense, but there's a large ravine big enough for the ship to squeeze through. About a mile long or so, from the looks of it. Are you sure you're going to risk it?"

"If that means we can ditch those two birds, yes." Zappa answered. "I've flown through much narrower spaces before."

"Okay then, Zappa." Estella turned back to the radio. "Astro, where can we find that hole?"

"Turn right."

The jet made another sharp swing towards the right, shaking back and forth from the momentum. The red and green jet switched to their secondary turrets, unleashing a storm of bullets on them. Zappa yanked the steering wheel, but it was still a second too slow.

"Ack-!" Estella yelled. "We got a direct hit!"

Zappa's evasion maneuver saved the crates from the impact, but the jet absorbed most of the shots. The bullets did not get through the protective glass around the cockpit, but still created a web of ugly cracks on its surface.

"Get us out from here!"

"I-I'm on it!"

The jet dropped even closer to the ground, away from the two enemy ships. Soon, the radar beeped, and a dot appeared on the jet's HUD screen.

"You're right above the ravine!" Astro yelled, "Get ready!"

"With an altitude this low, we can't dive in there in time, can we?" Galaxa eyed the dark carpet of trees below.

"Nope, we need a head-start."

Zappa clutched a lever and pushed it all the way down, and the jet soared into the clouds like a shooting star. The fuel meter was going down at a visible rate, as the red and green jet went after them in hot pursuit, their missile compartments open and ready for another round of blast.

"Hold it…" The enemy pilot mumbled, "Locking target..."

"Combat Red-Jet, locking target, over." His partner said. "The enemy is completely exposed. Let's use the auto-trace missiles."

"They are locking on us!" Zappa exclaimed, "Is it time yet?!"

"Not yet, lieutenant," Estella held up a hand. "Wait for it."

"Estella?!"

"This is Combat Green-Jet, I got my missile locked on target, over."

"This is Combat Red-Jet. My missiles are ready, too."

"Copy that, Combat Red-Jet. Deploying missiles in…"

"Three..."

The jet was losing momentum, and with a loud sputtering sound, the engine's flare fizzled out. With their propulsion gone, the jet sank through the air like a giant stone, completely at the mercy of gravity.

"Two..."

The ship was shaking like a leaf in the wind, before the lights in the cockpit went out, leaving only the blaring alarms and blinking red emergency signs. Zappa gritted her teeth as the aircraft tilted towards the ground, and slammed down hard on the buttons.

"One..."

"Now, Zappa!"

The engine came to life with a spark, just as the crates dragged the jet down into the giant opening in the ground. A sharp cracking sound erupted behind them, as the missiles accelerated to a sonic speed, and shot straight into the ravine.

The jet's free fall ended when they were only a few meters away from crashing into the bottom of the ravine. With a roar of the engine, the jet pulled itself back up into the air, and zoomed into the depth of the earth, with the homing missiles still on its tail. Above them, the red and green jet came to a halt.

"We can't follow them underground!" A loud groan, followed by a yell, "Permission to abort the mission?"

"Radio command, this is Combat Green-Jet. We lost the suspects in the ground-zero cavern system. Are there any exit points where we can set up an ambush?"

"Unfortunately, Combat Green-Jet, we do not detect any alternate routes on our radar. They are flying into a dead end. Abort the mission. We'll notify the ground crew, and send out a scouting team later."

"Copy that, over." The pilot replied. "That jet's pilot is insane. It's a shame that we'd have to fish their dead body out of the ravine later."

"Returning to base of operation, following command, over."

"Roger that. Combat Green-Jet, out."

* * *

The faint moonlight disappeared behind them, as the jet ventured from the open ravine into the depth of the cavern system at a dangerous speed. The missiles were still following them, dodging past the gaps between stalagmites with an uncanny ease.

"If we keep going at this speed, we'll slam into a dead end because I can't stop the jet in time." Zappa mumbled, her gaze fixated on the HUD screen.

"Tari's rocket technology has gotten a lot more complex. I don't know if you can bait them like before..."

"Guys! I've found an escape route!" Astro yelled, "I'm sending the coordinates. The main cavern itself is a dead end, but you can get out from a branching path!"

"Great. Now, about these rockets..." Estella sweatdropped. "Any ideas how we should deal with them?"

"Wha$ g^#uys?" The radio sputtered, "I ca-&$"

"Our com is down, Estella," Galaxa inspected, "There's no signal at this depth."

"Copy," Estella nodded. "From the looks of it, this cave is gigantic. It's almost like another dimension down here."

"Are you adoring the scenery, Maj. Estella? This is a bad time..."

"Of course not. See if you can bait these rockets towards a stalactite, Zappa!"

The jet circled around the giant columns of rocks, wobbling a little from the weight of the crates, but fortunately, they were inside a much more spacious sector of the cavern now. The missiles traversed through the gaps between the stalactites with ease, however, like a swarm of annoying flies.

"Their tracking system is too good..." Estella shook her head. "Any other ideas?"

"Well, I-"

Water splashed against the window, as Zappa flew the jet straight through a waterfall that descended from the ceiling. One of the rockets let out a loud rattle, as it touched the wall of water. Sparks and smoke could be seen, before it plummeted into the darkness below.

"What the?"

More waterfalls soon emerged in their vision, illuminated by the glowing blue crystals that poked out of the cavern walls. Their lights created a glamorous starry sky in the dark underground space.

"That's it!" Estella's eyes lit up. "These rockets might have advanced tracking systems, but like all electronics, they get funky when they're wet!"

"Zappa, fly through that waterfall!"

With a nod, Zappa steered the ship towards their right, slamming straight through the veil of water. She miscalculated the distance, however, and the rockets whizzed past empty air. She pushed down on the lever again, and accelerated up towards a higher waterfall.

They were getting dangerously close to the ceiling. Zappa's reaction was quick, but a pointy stalactite still scratched the top of the jet. They flew into the waterfall, and all the rockets were caught in the splash this time. As their circuitry failed, they started spinning around in a circle, before slamming straight into the ceiling above. The impact of the explosion shook the entire cavern, and smaller chunks of stone were raining down around them.

"Oh gosh." Galaxa put a hand to her mouth. "Please don't tell me..."

Entire stalactites broke off from the ceiling, and fell into the underground lake. One by one, the crystals' lights dimmed and disappeared in the dust clouds, as they headed away from the open cavern and towards the bright dot on the jet's HUD screen.

"Here we go!" Zappa yelled. "Brace for impact!"

Chunk by chunk, the caverns collapsed behind their speeding jet, as Zappa activated the secondary boosters again. Before long, they saw a corner of the dark blue sky above, and the jet soared towards the opening.

* * *

"Guys?" Astro yelled into her radio again. "Can you hear me?"

She looked down into the opening. After several futile attempts at calling her fellow rangers, she finally decided to venture out to the exit point she detected. It was a surprisingly short walk. Still no signals.

Astro huffed, and closed her eyes. Right at that moment, the ground below her started trembling, followed by a bright ray of light, shining out of the cave mouth, and her radio came to life with a beep.

"Guys! Guys! Is that you?"

"Get out of the way!"

Astro frowned a little at the loud yell, before the ray of light sped into a blur. The ship ejected itself out of the cave in a burst of smoke and dust, and an even stronger tremor shook the ground. Astro broke out of her freeze at the last second and dashed away, as the ground below her collapsed into the hollow underground space, burying everything in a thick brown cloud.

Coughing and rubbing the dirt out of her eyes, Astro slowly stood back up, and saw Zappa's yellow jet hovering in the air, making a beeline towards the camp's direction.

* * *

"We did it, girls!"

Estella let out a cheer as she stepped out of the jet. Galaxa collapsed onto the grasses below, the moment she set foot on solid ground, stretching her arms out and exhaling deeply. Zappa was the last person to exit the jet.

"Gosh, Zappa, you are worse than Astro when you sense a challenge." Galaxa muttered. "Next time, I'm never riding in your jet again..."

"You do you, I guess."

Astro soon emerged from the forest in the distance, running as quickly as she could. She came to a halt in front of her squad, and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"Y-You guys make it back in one piece!" Astro said, panting. "How did you get caught by their radar, again?"

"Her jet's altimeter was jammed. Never saw that coming..." Estella shrugged. "At least no one's hurt."

"That's great and all. How about the delivery?"

"Right here," Zappa said, as she walked to the jet's wings and began to untie the chains. "It's a bit wet, but hopefully, everything's still intact."

While Zappa was taking the last hook off, Estella walked into her own ship, and exited with a crowbar in hand. With a few prys, she yanked the nails off the top of the crate, and pulled the wooden panel off.

"A bit wet? Half of the crate's full of water." Astro said, as she bent down to inspect the content. "We can just dry them off, though."

"Yeah. Zappa, how's your jet?"

"Bad," Zappa frowned. "The engine is fine, but everything else? Not so much."

"Don't worry about it." Estella assured her. "We'll take care of that, as soon as we begin the repair process."

"Like, as in right now?" Astro asked.

"Well, if you want to start fixing the ships, go for it. Otherwise, we should just hide everything in the woods and hope no one stumbles upon them."

"I'm not going to wait." Zappa said. "I don't want my ship to look like a total mess."

"Me too." Astro nodded. "Galaxa, though..."

The exhausted pilot was already fast asleep on the ground, snoring heavily, grass swaying around her in the wind. Her expression was really calm and serene, a stark departure from the cranky scowl that was on her face when she stepped down the ship.

"Well, Zappa must have given her a bit of a scare." Estella sighed. "We still have plenty of time. You think we can finish the repair by noon?"

"I suppose. Wouldn't want to go back and wake up the girls at this hour." Astro said. "They might start wondering where we've gone, once they get out of bed, though."

"Right, I'll get the parts for my ships now. Zappa, help me drain the water out of the crates, and let's start unpacking everything."

"Copy that."

.

.

IF woke up to a gentle ray of light, shining through the windows. As she grabbed her coat from the clothes hanger, the sun rose up from the horizon. It was truly a beautiful sight. Though, with her friends still asleep, perhaps she should go downstairs and ask for a cup of tea...

Her eyes suddenly widened.

"Wait, where's Origin?"

* * *

"Ah! My friend! Thou art an early bird!"

Origin waved to her from outside the hotel gate, stretching her arms out in a warm-up pose. She was in full plate armor, but did not seem to even wince from the weight.

"Morning, Origin," IF greeted her, holding a cup of tea. "Have you seen Sir-Tech?"

"Unfortunately, no." She frowned. "Her strange disappearance was unprecedented. I hope she was not vexed with me, or thy friends."

"At least she'd be safe, I guess." IF sat down on a bench, and took a sip from her cup. "You like to rise early, I see?"

"Indeed, my friend!" Origin nodded. "Such is the lifestyle of a noble knight. Diligence is amongst the honorable Virtues, and I must always be prepared for a new adventure in my quest for chivalry!"

"That's great." IF said. "I always wake up early for Guild missions. But since there aren't any Guilds in this dimension, I'm...just going through the morning routine, I guess."

"How unfortunate. I'm sure thou would find some other chores to hone thy skills, though."

"I guess you are right." IF chuckled.

"Hah…" Vert yawned, as she walked down the stairs. "Dear me. This is the best rest I've had, since landing in this dimension."

"You're awake, Lady Vert."

Vert sat down besides IF, who poured another cup of tea for her. Together, they savored the aromatic drink, Vert's blonde hair shimmering under the morning sunlight.

"So, Sir-Tech still isn't back?" Vert asked, after a long silence.

"I thought she'd be waiting for us here. But that doesn't seem to be the case."

"I see. Have you asked the hotel staff? She might have left a note for us, while we were asleep."

"I'm afraid not, milady." Origin shook her head. "She left nothing. I can't believe my own companion would just give me the cold shoulder..."

"That's worrisome." Vert said. "Should we start looking for her?"

"I guess so." IF set her cup down on the table, and stood up. "Come on. Let's go wake the others up."

"Oh dear, I haven't finished my cup yet. The beautiful morning scenery must've distracted me." Vert pouted. "While you're waking them up, may I stay down here and savor the tea?"

"Of course, milady," Origin assured her. "It would be a pity to let such a drink go to waste!"

* * *

Blanc had a sullen look on her face, looking still a little irked as the party wandered around the town square. Around them, dozens of people were already awake and opening their shops up for the day.

They had asked multiple strangers, and none of them remembered seeing someone who looked like Sir-Tech. Hindered by the lack of progress, they finally stopped beside a flower shop and sat down for a break.

"Really? No sight of her whatsoever...?"

"Cheer up, Iffy," Compa patted her companion on the back. "We still have an entire day to find her!"

"Jeez! What the hell is wrong with her?" Blanc groaned, and put a hand against her forehead.

"I don't know either." Origin said. "Even as her long-time companion, this behavior is truly vexing."

"Wait..." Compa pointed across the street. "Is that her?"

Everyone turned to look in that direction. Right inside the coffee shop was a figure clad in a familiar robe, picking up a cup of hot coffee from the counter before sitting down on a nearby chair. Origin practically bolted out of her seat, and rushed towards Sir-Tech.

"Sir-Tech!" She huffed. "Where hast thee vanished to, last night?!"

"Yeah, what the hell?!" Blanc also stood up.

"You really wish to know?" Sir-Tech took another casual sip, as she approached the party.

"Of course, capricious sorcerer!" Origin snarked. "Thy silent departure worried us, especially when thou failed to return in the morning. Did thee have no sense of camaraderie?"

"I see. Well, I'm alright. Sorry for making you worry about me."

"That's not the point, Sir-Tech." IF sighed. "Care to tell us why you'd suddenly go out in the middle of the night?"

"Well, if you must..." Sir-Tech shrugged. "Let's just say I know the identity of the person we encountered yesterday."

"What person?"

An explosion suddenly shook the street, followed by two shadows that crashed through the brick buildings at a speed too fast for them to see. Everyone ducked for cover. Origin dragged her wizard companion behind the flower shop counter, to her great displeasure. As the smoke outside cleared, they could finally see the two fighters. One of them was clad in a military outfit, her rapier out and ready, while the other wielded a staff similar to that of Sir-Tech's.

"Lady Dina and…"

"Lady Nesha." Sir-Tech finished Origin's sentence.

"Wait, Nesha?" Blanc frowned. "You mean she's…?"

"Yes, Lady Famika's sister."

"Woah..." Compa gasped. "She looks just like Lady Famika! Except for that weird military suit."

"They really are identical twins..."

"My, my," chuckled Vert, "So she's like the Ram to Famika's Rom, but a full-grown CPU? The overabundance of Candidates are strong, even for the Lowee of this dimension!"

"Shut up, Thundertits..."

Nesha charged towards her opponent, her rapier extended in a piercing motion.

"_Centipede_!" Dina chanted. Her staff glowed brightly, before a worm-like entity flew out of the crystal at its top.

Nesha side-stepped away from the centipede's charge, and retaliated with a downward slash from her rapier, cutting the entity in half. Its halves turned into two smaller centipedes, however, and swept at her legs, creating a shallow cut.

"Ack-!" She gritted her teeth. "_En Garde_!"

Both centipedes dashed towards her, trying to ram her from two sides. Standing on guard, Nesha dodged away at the last second, and pierced the head of one centipede with a clean stab. As it dissolved into a bunch of pixels, the other centipede rushed at her. Nesha leaped up in the air, and made a downward stab, with a force so great that it practically decapitated the centipede.

"Impressive, Dina," Nesha snickered. "It'll take more than a bunch of worms to beat me, though."

"Hahaha!" Dina laughed. "Are you expecting an easy fight? Lowee is no match for Colesia!"

"Non." Nesha adjusted her beret hat. "But you never know until you try, right?"

"Then try! And die trying!" Dina raised her staff again. "Choplifter!"

A beacon of light shot into the sky. Suddenly, there was the sound of whirring propellers. Nesha's brows furrowed up, before a helicopter swept down, and dropped an explosive orb towards her.

"Woah!" Nesha exclaimed, after dodging the explosion. "You sure aren't one for an honorable fight, with all these dirty tricks."

"Dirty? Who uses a plain sword these days? Combat is no fun without a dash of magic!"

"Oh yeah? You'll all fall under this sword when Lowee began its conquest of the mainland!" Nesha boasted, and dashed through another wave of bombs.

She jabbed her rapier straight towards Dina's chest. It almost looked like Nesha was going to draw blood, before Dina batted the rapier away, and made a backhand swing with her staff. It connected with Nesha's side, causing her to stumble back.

"Agh-!"

"D-Dear lord, that was close!" Dina's face paled, as she held up her staff.

Nesha ducked out of the way, as bombs rained down from above again. She was a little late, and barely rolled out of the blast range. Her military uniform was now covered in ash and dirt, and her face was slightly bruised. Still, she walked forth with great composure, her white beret shimmering under the sunlight.

"Heh, you got me there." Nesha smirked. "But I ain't done yet."

"Give up!" Dina yelled. "You'd only embarrass yourself and your backwater nation, in front of my people!"

Vert and Blanc were keenly observing the two CPUs and their fighting style. Sir-Tech looked as bored as before, but Origin had this almost lovestruck expression on her face as she stared at Nesha, like she had forgotten how to blink.

"The might of Lady Nesha..." Her voice raised to a high-pitched squeal. "Such majestic swordsmanship! Steadfast and swift in every attack…Oh, I could only dream to reach that level of prowess!"

"Shh! Quit it!" IF shushed her. "This is a bad time to gush over your idol!"

"Yeah." Sir-Tech stared at the duelist. "I agree with you on that one."

* * *

"Why are you here?"

The cloaked figure turned back. The icy hostility in her blue eyes melted away when she caught sight of Sir-Tech, and her lips curled up in a small smile.

"Greetings." She said. "What a surprise to see the star student of Odyssee in this city."

"Gamindustri is a small world, I guess." Sir-Tech shrugged. "Still, what brought you here, Lady Nesha? You aren't coming back to Lowee?"

"Not until I can secure a place for my nation in this Console War." Nesha pulled off her hood, revealing her platinum blonde hair. "But no worries. Even though Odyssee is my rival, I will not harm her students or associates."

"I'm not here on her behalf. We've returned from Lowee, just a day ago."

"Is that so?" Nesha smiled. "I hope Famika and Yokoi treated you well."

"It...doesn't go as expected." Sir-Tech paused. "In fact, that's one reason why I've come to seek you."

"Huh? Did something happen to my siblings?"

"No. I should not meddle in your family matters, but...I just want to ask a question. Have you ever regretted leaving them behind?"

"Yes. But my personal sacrifice is nothing, compared to the future of our nation." Nesha lowered her head.

"Famika begged me to stay, for Yokoi's sake. She thought we'd be safe forever, all holed up in the far corner of Gamindustri. But she doesn't see the threat of the Console War. CPUs are getting stronger and more aggressive, as the war drags on. One day, some of them will set their eyes on Lowee, and I'm not going to let my nation be crushed like a bug."

Sir-Tech saw a hint of solemn grief in her eyes, as she kept speaking.

"If my siblings feel like I've abandoned them...Then so be it. I hope they'd be fine in each other's company, even without me."

"Yokoi still misses you."

"Ah, Yokoi." Nesha chuckled. "Never got the chance to shape him up into a proper fighter before I left. Famika has been sheltering him for too long, ever since..."

"Since what?"

Nesha bit into her lips, like she had just been stabbed in the stomach. Sir-Tech shook her head, and did not pry further.

"I'm rambling." Nesha squeezed out a smile, after a long silence. "It must be the cold air. Bring back memories."

"Sure."

"So… Are you going back now? To meet up with Origin, and your…new party members?"

"Meh." Sir-Tech shook her head, "I don't feel sleepy yet."

"I presume you have a lot of study to do."

"Yes. If I may ask, why are you standing in front of the home of Lady Dina?"

"Oh dear, haha," Nesha laughed. "As a duelist, I'm sure that issuing a challenge to the CPU of Colesia will be my first step in establishing Lowee as a legitimate Great Power of Gamindustri."

"Shouldn't you just knock on her doors, then?"

"I would never make a ruckus in the middle of the night. It is improper dueling etiquette to take advantage of your opponent's panic and exhaustion."

"You're oddly polite." Sir-Tech said flatly. "I wouldn't stand here all night and risk catching a cold, if I were you."

"For a pupil of Odyssee, you sure are concerned about the wellbeing of her foes."

"Lady Odyssee would never have that many foes."

"Sure. She's only the strongest obstacle in the eyes of every new CPU who wishes to make their nation great." Nesha snorted. "You should be glad that she's your teacher. I'm not one for personal vendetta, but sometimes, collateral damage is inevitable."

"That sounds like a threat."

"No. I'm just kidding."

"Well, it's getting late." Sir-Tech said. "I need to go check out some books and scrolls. Are you going to stand here until the sun rises?"

"Yes." Nesha nodded. "Don't worry. It's not like a CPU would catch a cold or anything."

"As I expected," Sir-Tech sighed. "I'll take my leave, then..."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

_Nesha _represents the game console as the **Nintendo Entertainment System** _(1985-1995)_

_Dina _represents the game console as the **ColecoVision Game System** _(1982-1985)_

_Colesia_ represents the former video-game company as the **Coleco Industries, Inc.**

_Combat Green-Jet_ and _Combat Red-Jet_ is a nod to Atari 2600's game, _Combat_, specifically in Jet mode.

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreader & Editor


	15. Now You're Playing With Power!

Nesha lunged forth, her rapier extended. Dina bashed it away with the staff and ducked down, before swinging the weapon towards Nesha's side—she grabbed its tip with her free hand, but was still pushed back.

"For a duelist, you sure have a lot of openings in your defense." Dina smirked. "Give up, Nesha!"

"Oh, really?" Nesha gritted her teeth. "The best defense is a good offense!"

She delivered a swift kick towards Dina's knees, knocking her onto the ground. When Dina tried to climb up, the silvery blade of the rapier was already pressing against her neck.

"Well?" Nesha smirked.

Another helicopter soured into the air, followed by a rain of bombs. Nesha dashed away before the bombs exploded, obliterating everything in its range. When the dust cleared away, Dina had stood up and shifted back into her combat stance again.

"You think it'll be that easy to get rid of me?" Dina laughed. "You are an old relic, just like your backwater nation."

"I may be an old timer, but I'm way ahead of you in terms of experience. You think magic always decides the outcome of a fight?"

"How about I prove it to you, then?"

A bright rainbow aura enveloped her staff as Dina raised it into the air, creating a vortex of wind around her. Metallic platings began to crystallize on her black bodysuit and staff. Before long, her waists and arms were securely protected behind a new armored suit, and her staff became a black steel rod with a crystal at its tip.

"Behold! My _Expansion Module Mk. 1_!" She smiled. "What? Never seen a new processor unit before?"

"You are underestimating the variety of foes I've faced." Nesha wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Your fancy tricks won't scare me into backing off. I'm a duelist, and I've already accepted the challenge."

"Alright! Have it your way then!"

A flame beam shot out of the crystal. Nesha raised her rapier in a blocking stance, but the impact still pushed her into a nearby wall, which came crumbling down at the impact. Dina walked towards the wreckage, her helicopter summon hovering above her, just in time to see Nesha standing up from the rubbles.

"You think it'll be easy to get rid of me?"

"Grr!" Dina groaned. "Are you copying my lines now?"

Another salvo of bombs came out of the helicopter. Nesha dodged through the initial blast, and hopped up onto the wrecked walls with an inhumane agility, before making one huge leap towards the helicopter. With a single strike, she cut the illusion in half, and landed in front of Dina, just as the summon dissolved into a bunch of pixels in thin air.

"Good! It's not like I need that piece of junk!" Dina gritted her teeth, and clutched her staff even tighter.

More flame beams and magic projectiles soon came out of the crystal. Her movements were getting more desperate and reckless with each miss, however, while Nesha's stance remained as steady as ever as she approached Dina, deflecting her projectiles with a flurry of slashes from her rapier.

The crystal's light grew brighter, and there was a humming noise in the air—before Dina could unleash her last attack, however, Nesha darted towards her. With an elbow strike, she sent Dina reeling back, and pressed her rapier against her neck. The staff fell out of Dina's hand, and she dropped to the ground on her knees.

"I-I've followed in the footsteps of Telstar, and lead Colesia to glory..." She muttered. "How? How could I get beaten by some country bumpkin from this hermit kingdom?"

"Your arrogance doesn't match your prowess in combat, it seems." Nesha said. "Told you magic isn't going to guarantee you an easy victory against an experienced duelist."

"Lady Nesha!"

Nesha turned back at the familiar voice, and saw the groups of people approaching her.

"Lady Nesha," Sir-Tech said. "This battle has gone on long enough. Time to stop."

"Step aside, Sir-Tech," Nesha ordered, her rapier still out and ready. "You and your companions have no place in a battle between the CPUs."

"B-But milady!" Origin yelled. "Thy battlefield is right in the middle of the town! Look at the people!"

Only then did Nesha shift her gaze to the charred rubbles and fallen buildings. People were clustering behind the few walls and counters that remained standing, sneaking fearful peeks at their defeated Goddess. With a sigh, Nesha lowered her blade.

"W-Wha..?" Dina looked up at her. "Aren't you going to finish the job? End my life and claim my nation for yourself?"

"I would have. But I'm afraid it will be too… gruesome, to slay you right in front of your people."

"However," Nesha stared into her eyes, "If you are willing to recognize Lowee as a legitimate power and become our vassal, I will spare your life in return."

"Tch...Trying to blackmail me and bully me into submission? What a dirty tactic!"

"Compared to Tari's brutality towards their defeated foes? I'd say I am being quite merciful."

"W-Wha-?!"

"Yes or no? I don't have all day."

Dina let out a loud groan, clutched her hair, and started rocking back and forth.

"Ughh!" She whined, banging her fists on the bare ground. "I don't wanna! I don't wanna!"

"H-Huh?"

"It's not fair!" Dina cried, like a kid who had her favorite toy taken away from her. "Out of all the CPUs, why do I have to be the one who got beaten by this Goddess from some backwater island?"

"Is she...throwing a tantrum?" IF's expression was one of sheer disbelief, mixed with some amusement.

"Well...it's really not a very harsh deal?" Even Nesha looked a little weirded out. "I'm trying to give you a chance here."

"We're CPUs! Aren't we supposed to kill each other like our predecessors?!"

"Are you sure you want me to slice your head off in front of everyone? You don't happen to have a death wish, right?"

"Why not?! Even a quick death at the hands of Tari's Goddess is better than..." She shrieked, "This! Just get it over with! You're making me into a laughing stock in front of everyone, like I'm not even a worthy foe!"

"Lady Dina..." Sir-Tech sighed, and looked away.

* * *

All around the square, people were carrying their belongings out of the ruined buildings, while the workers and guards cleaned away the debrises. Most of them had a mortified look on their faces, and didn't notice the small party venturing away from the town, and into the dense forest.

IF and Origin were walking alongside Dina, led by Nesha. They stopped after a while, once they travelled out of the earshots of the townspeople. Dina sat down on a dense rock, still glaring at Nesha with a sullen look on her face.

"So? Do you accept my terms?"

"Hmph!" Dina pouted, crossing her arms. "Fine! You may be the winner, but that doesn't mean you're stronger than me!"

"What's the deal with this bitch...?" Blanc groaned.

"Hmm?" Sir-Tech asked. "Is there something wrong, Lady Blanc?"

"Uh, no. I just don't understand how a spoiled brat like her managed to keep her nation running for so long."

"Spoiled? Maybe. I'd prefer her whining to...whatever Origin was up to right now."

Following Sir-Tech's blank stare, Blanc soon saw Origin behind a tree, staring at Nesha's shining military uniform and cap, her mouth agape. It almost looked like the knight was close to drooling in her adoration of the warrior Goddess.

IF and Compa exchanged a concerned look with each other, before moving towards Origin.

"Hey, Origin. What are you doing back there?"

"Thou wouldst not understand, my fellow adventurer..." Origin muttered, without sparing a single glance at IF.

"Won't get what?"

"After witnessing Lady Nesha's flawless battle, I am… enlightened."

"Huh?"

"Lady Nesha hast brought enlightenment upon me!" Origin raised her voice. "Even an honorable knight like me stood no chance against such vile tricks of magic, armed with only a simple blade, but milady's amazing swordsmanship had redefined the implausible!"

"It's kinda understandable, since she's a CPU?" sweatdropped Compa.

"If so, she is truly the greatest warrior Goddess in all of Gamindustri! I shall swear an oath to serve her, and learn her arts of chivalry!"

"U-Uh...Origin, aren't you getting a bit...carried away?"

"Just think about it, my fellow adventurer! I've ventured throughout Gamindustri along with Sir-Tech, seeking to hone my skills and become a true Avatar of Virtues. Perhaps, with Lady Nesha's divine guidance, I could finally become the most noble of knights!"

"I don't know about you, but I don't see anything 'noble' about her..." IF frowned. "She feels more like a…soldier than a noble knight."

"Nonsense, my friend. Are knights not soldiers, apart from our adherence to chivalry and our quests for Virtues?"

"Well, what about Sir-Tech?" Compa asked. "If you're going to be a knight of Lady Nesha, will she just adventure on her own without you?"

"Hmm..." Origin put a hand to her chin. "Thou art right. Tis' a truly vexing dilemma."

* * *

"It's a fair deal after all," Vert put a hand on Dina's shoulder, "There's nothing wrong with admitting your defeat."

"Easy for you to say! Admitting my defeat would tarnish my reputation! A disgrace to Telstar's last wishes!" Dina slapped her hand away, and continued to wail.

Without warning, Nesha unsheathed her rapier, and within seconds, the blade was pressing against Dina's neck again. Her emotionless face was just as unsettling as Famika's fury, but in a different way—Vert and Blanc shuddered a little at the memory. Dina froze like a deer caught in the headlights, as she stared into Nesha's blue eyes.

"W-What...?"

"I told you I wouldn't kill you _in front_ of your people. None of them are here right now, are they?"

"O-Oh dear, Lady Nesha..." Vert sweatdropped. "That escalated quickly..."

"What the hell?! You can't really be thinking—" Blanc stood up from where she was sitting.

"Or maybe we could make _them_ pay for your arrogance. If you really were worried about your own people, this is a good time to show some humility."

"W-Wait, you're not going to-!"

"Oh? Maybe I would~"

Dina's eyes widened at the sound of Nesha's chuckle. There was an unsettling playfulness and casual bloodlust radiating from her, as she twirled her rapier around. Even Blanc, who was approaching her, took a step back out of reflex.

"Alright, alright!" Dina lowered her head. "You win! Just don't hurt my people!"

"Finally..." Nesha sighed, and sheathed her rapier. "It takes you awhile to cave in."

"I get it! So leave me alone already!" Dina screamed. "Lowee is now a legitimate power of Gamindustri, and I'm your vassal! There? Happy?"

"Hey! Calm down, Dina!" Nesha laughed, "I'm just joking about the 'make them pay' part!"

"H-Huh?"

"I'm not going to hurt your people. I have standards, unlike that CPU of Tari." She shrugged. "But, since you are being such a whiny brat, I have to be a little harsher."

"You mean you are just _bluffing_?"

"Yeah," Nesha said. "Sorry for the scare. You don't give me many choices, though."

Dina bolted up from the rock and lunged forward, trying to claw at Nesha's face in her fit of rage. Before she could get anywhere near Nesha, however, Blanc and Vert rushed forth and pulled her back.

"Why, you—! Let me go! I'm gonna rip your face apart, you dirty little liar!"

"I guess you need to cool off for awhile..." Nesha sighed. "Sir-Tech?"

"Okay," The wizard nodded, holding her staff up. "KATINO."

* * *

"So far, so good, I don't see no criminals..."

The group of maids, now with the new addition of "Ue" and "Hataraki", continued their walk through the eerily empty hallway. Roklan and Imagic looked more confident than before, while the duo who trailed behind them kept exchanging uneasy glances with each other.

"Where do you think they are hiding, Ue?"

"Huh? I-I don't know!" Noire frantically shook her head. "It's not like...I have telepathy and can magically sense them or something."

"True. Though that sounded like a really cool power..." Roklan sighed. "I hope they won't hurt us. Who knows what these villains might do when they got desperate!"

"Oh come on, Roklan," Nakayama cheered, "They're like, what, two teenagers? I'm sure those rascals won't be able to take on four of us!"

"Hehe, yeah..." Noire let out an awkward laugh. "Just some cocky no-good rascal."

"And a really lonely teenager," Nakayama mumbled.

"Huh?" Both maids frowned, but decided to not press the matter.

The lights flickered above them as they turned around a corner. Suddenly, a door slammed shut in the distance. Roklan and Imagic immediately took cover behind their new companions, while Noire and Nakayama gripped their concealed weapon, and tiptoed towards the door.

"Hello?" Noire made a light knock.

"Don't come in!" A grumpy male voice shrieked. "They still haven't fixed this darn lock on the bathroom door! Dang it!"

"Huh?" Noire scowled, "Who the heck are you?"

"Oh, that's...Mr. Delivery Guy!' Roklan said. "He takes the ingredients and groceries to our kitchen every day."

"What are you doing here, by the way?" Imagic asked.

"Is it obvious?" The man moaned, "I...got wasted at the party last night. Again. Gosh, were these drinks bad for my stomach!"

"Jeez, really?" Imagic sighed., "You've been out partying again? Didn't Miss APh threaten to fire you over it last time?"

"Yeah, but hey...you gotta' live your life to the fullest, you know?"

"Okay then, mister," Roklan said. "Just be on the lookout, after you leave the bathroom. There's something going around right now."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Some teenagers are trespassing in Lady Sylvania's home. Lady APh wants us to check on every room, and make sure they aren't stealing anything."

"That's bad," he replied. "Don't think I'm gonna be of much help, though. I ain't no guard or some super badass maid. Just this bearded guy driving a truck around. But I'll make sure to call you gals, if I happened to run into them. For now, I have to finish this…little dump..."

Noire winced at the flushing sound and groans that ensued. "Yeah. We know."

"Hm? Who's that?"

"That's Ue!" Roklan answered. "One of the two new maids that joined us today!"

"Well, darn, there goes my chance at leaving a good impression, haha!" The man laughed, "Anyway, good luck and take care."

"Alright then," Nakayama nodded, and started pulling the others away from the door. "We'll just leave this guy be. Let's get going."

"O-Okay, we get it!" Noire shook her head, and turned away.

As the maids walked away from the man, a cardboard box slowly inched around the corner. Finally, a lilac-haired girl emerged from below the box, eyeing the vanishing silhouettes in the distance with a look of sheer disbelief.

"Ughh..." Neptune whined. "How? How could Sylvania bewitch them so easily? I thought she was weaker than Nakayama! Well, only I can free them from her dark magic now. I hope she hasn't found little cubey yet!"

* * *

"Noire, you see an exit yet?" Nakyama whispered to her.

"Yeah, at the front!" Noire said. "But we can't possibly sneak through that one. Too many people."

"Phew," sighed Roklan, "Looks like the garage is also clear. You find anything else on your side, Imagic?"

"Nope!" The maid poked her head out from behind the truck. "They aren't here either!"

"Alright then, that means the basement floor is cleared..." Roklan started writing on her clipboard. "Aside from Mr. Delivery Guy, this floor's empty."

While both maids were busy with their paperwork, Nakayama noticed a large metallic side gate, and nudged Noire in the arm.

"What is it?"

She gestured towards the gate, and before long, her hand was on the door. "We might be able to use this one here."

"Hmm..." Noire soon followed her, eyeing the lock pad with a keen interest. "That sounds perfect. We'll just snap the gate open and-"

"Ue? Hataraki?" Imagic called out from behind them. "What are you two doing over there?"

"O-Oh, uh, nothing!" They stuttered. "W-We are just checking if this gate's locked. Can't let those freaks get out from here!"

"No need to worry," smiled Roklan, "It's always locked. And there are guards behind it."

"Oh, that's good to know..."

"Well come on, guys!" Roklan waved at them, "I don't think we should be staying here much longer."

"Alright."

Despite their best attempt to put on a smile, both of them were frowning, the moment Roklan and Imagic turned away. Noire was wondering if they could just use the Hypercube to blast down the door—no, the commotion would probably be too much.

* * *

"This is your one and only protagonist, Neptune, spying on some maids in their natural habitat..." Neptune muttered, as she hid behind the corner, and peeked out at the two unfamiliar maids who were leading Noire and Nakayama through the corridor.

"Okay..." she said. "Those probably-evil maids are taking my friends away! All I have to do is to hide inside the box like a snake, and snatch my friends away from those maids while they aren't looking! Hehe..."

With a mischievous chuckle, she grabbed the cardboard box. Just when she lifted it up and was about to crawl inside again, a door slid open behind her.

"Phew..." A tired male voice groaned. "It's finally over. How long did I spend in this goddamn bathroom?"

Neptune froze at the sight of the bearded man, before she tried to duck behind the box in slow motion, which earned a snicker from the man.

"Found ya', you little..."

* * *

"NOOOOO!"

Roklan and Imagic burst into a sprint at the shrill cry. Noire and Nakayama trailed closely behind them, their hearts beating even faster because of the...familiarity of the voice.

"Is that..."

"Mr. Delivery Guy! He found them!" Roklan pointed forward, "Come on! Let's go help him before they get away!"

Before long, they made their way around the corner, and saw the bearded man pinning a lilac-haired girl to the floor, who was still struggling to break free from his grasp. Imagic let out a cheer at the sight.

"Good job, Mr. Delivery Guy!"

"Where's the other one?"

"Other one?" He frowned, "This is the only troublemaker I've found, after I opened the bathroom door—"

"Noire! Nakayama! It's me! Neptune!"

"Wha-?" Both maids stared at the girl, before turning back towards Noire and Nakayama.

"K-Keep quiet, you—!" Noire made a "shush" gesture towards Neptune, which only made her struggle even harder.

"Noire and Nakayama...?" Imagic scowled, "Who are they?"

"Yeah. Why's she calling out to the CPU of Planeptune? Is she a spy?"

"H-Ha ha, don't you listen to this crazy weirdo!" Nakayama shook her head, "She must've lost her mind!"

"Nepu-?!" Neptune gave her a wounded look, "It's me, Nakayama and Noire! I must save you from Sylvania's cursed magic!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Noire groaned, "Just shut up already!"

"Ue, Hataraki?" Both maids asked, "Do you know her?"

"I-It's a funny story, haha!" Nakayama let out a nervous chuckle, "She always calls us by our nicknames, this...crazy little troublemaker friend of ours!"

"You've nicknamed yourself after the CPU of Planeptune?"

"H-Hey!" Nakayama yelled, "I didn't call myself that! I don't know why she thinks I look like a CPU, but she just keeps using that stupid nickname!"

"Please! Noire! Nakayama!" Neptune pleaded, "Snap out of it!"

"No! _You_ snap out of it!" Noire retorted, "Can't you see what's going on here?!"

"Now that I've caught this thief, you girls should go look for the other one. I'll call the guards over to deal with her." The man suggested, as he dragged Neptune up from the floor.

"That sounds like a great—"

"How about we take our old gal here to the guards, instead?" Nakayama held up a hand, "We wouldn't want our friend to be in trouble. Yeah, she's nuts, but she's not a bad person, and I'm sure they'd let her go after hearing the whole story."

"Uh...Well, whoever she is, she has already made a lot of commotion inside Lady Sylvania's home..."

"We'll take care of this, we promise!" Noire and Nakayama answered in unison.

"Ehh, I don't know about you, but there's something fishy about..."

"Come on, old man!" Noire put a hand to her forehead, "Give us a minute, and we'll sort this out."

"I don't like this feeling..." The man squinted at them, "My guts tell me not to trust their words."

"Maybe we shouldn't be fretting over this." Roklan said, "That girl is Ue and Hataraki's friend, after all. It's only natural for them to be concerned."

"So long, then. I hope your friend won't stir up more trouble on the way!"

Before Neptune could blurt out any more protests, Noire put a hand to her mouth, and the trio vanished into the corridors beyond. After a long, exhausting run, Noire finally let go of her.

"Wha-?"

"The heck were you thinking back there, Nep?!" Noire glared at her, "Both of us could've been caught!"

"Wait, waaah?" Neptune made a funny face, "You're not like...brainwashed by Sylvania's nasty dark magic, or anything?"

"Dark magic? You're being delusional..." Nakayama sighed, "That idiot's good at many things, but magic isn't her forte."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Neptune pulled Noire into a jumping hug, "I thought I've lost you forever!"

"O-Of course not, y-you idiot!" Noire stuttered, blushing. "Let go of me already!"

"Anyway..." Nakayama said. "Noire, is the Hypercube still in that bag?"

"Yeah, it is. Why are you asking that?"

Nakayama winked at Neptune, who let out a nervous laugh. Noire was left glancing between the two in confusion, unsure of what realization they had just reached.

"Give it to her."

* * *

"Ue? Hataraki?" Imagic yelled, "Are you back yet? Are the guards coming?"

The two maids were glancing around the corridor, accompanied by the delivery guy, as they headed towards the direction that "Ue" and "Hataraki" were heading to. The bearded man had his arms crossed, with an incredulous look on his face. Just as they made another turn, a bright light erupted from behind the corner.

"Guys? Roklan halted her steps, "Are you alright?"

"I knew it..." The man frowned. "Come on, we gotta'-"

"Run!"

Noire and Nakayama suddenly dashed past them, causing the two maids to cower near the wall as a tremor shook the corridor. Dust rained down from the ceiling, and the first thing they saw, after finally raising their heads, was a pair of glowing eyes.

"W-What happened?!" Imagic screamed, as she pointed at the woman with purple hair, "Is that your friend?!"

"I-I don't know!"

The woman was hovering closer and closer to them, and the maids let out a whimper when they saw the giant sword in her hands.

"Eeep!" Imagic yelled, "R-Run!"

The two maids and the man bolted in the opposite direction, without sparing a single glance at Purple Heart. Noire and Nakayama followed them for a minute or so, before they turned back and met up with their companion. All three of them let out a deep sigh, after making sure that no one was around anymore.

"I've done enough..." Purple Heart lowered her sword. "That's only going to lead to more problems later, though."

"At least we're back on track now, thanks to you." Nakayama smiled.

"Maybe."

"Let's get down to business then, Nep," Noire said, "We are planning to escape from one of the garage gates. Can you help us cut it open?"

"Sure. We better get moving, before they come back with reinforcement."

"Anyway, how did you get in here?" Noire asked, as they started running. "I thought I told you to stay outside?"

Her inquiry was met with a chuckle from Purple Heart. "I've been practicing my stealth skills."

* * *

A few maids streamed out of the building gate, joining the volunteers who were cleaning up the aftermath of the riot. The street was in quite a sorry state, with trash scattered all over the road, and the faint smell of burnt plastic in the air, but the chaos did not reach the indoor space of Lady Sylvania's residence.

APh was standing in the middle of the hall, watching over the maids and guards, until one man came up to her.

"Lady APh. We've made a grave discovery."

"Grave?" She narrowed her eyes, "What have these random teenage girls done?"

"I'm afraid they aren't random teenage girls. The CPU of Planeptune has broken out of her restraints, and I think they might have something to do with it."

"They freed Nakayama? How? Lessa made these chains! It's no ordinary metal."

"I'm not sure, either. Should we contact Lady Sylvania about the CPU's escape?"

"Please do," APh nodded, "And alert the city authorities, too."

"Yes, milady," The guard bowed, "I've been wondering...could Nakayama be one of the two intruders we're looking for?"

"Maybe," APh sighed, "Before reinforcement arrives, I suppose I shall take care of this situation myself."

"W-Wait. You're not going to..."

"Don't underestimate me." She said, cracking her knuckles, "It's been awhile since I've stepped onto a boxing stage, but I won't go easy on them."

Without a word, the guard left the hall, and APh turned to the maids who were approaching her.

"Lock up every single exit in this building." She commanded.

"Yes, millady—"

Right at this moment, two maids dashed into the hall, screaming. Both of them were sweating heavily, and their expressions were one of sheer panic.

"Wait.. Where's Mr. Delivery Guy? Where's Ue and Hataraki?" Imagic turned to her companion, panting.

"I-I don't know...we might've gotten separated..."

"What's going on?" APh asked, "Where have you been?"

"Lady APh, it's that girl...we've found this lilac-haired girl near the garage floor, b-but she suddenly turned into this…busty lady with a giant sword!"

"...What?"

"She might've caught Ue and Hataraki, Lady APh!" Roklan yelled. "We have to get them out of there!"

"A girl turned into a 'busty' lady? Could that be...?"

* * *

The guard made a huge yawn, as he slumped back into his chair. After the sudden uproar of noises from the other side of the building had died down, there was only silence.

The truck still hadn't come out yet. Usually, the delivery guy wouldn't take that long to finish the job. He was about to doze off when he heard a loud clanking sound, coming from behind the gate.

"Huh?" He stood up, "Is that you, old man? Did I lock the gate by accident?"

He reached into his pocket as he walked towards the gate. With the keys in hand, he was about to insert it into the keyhole when a blade pierced through the metal gate. He stumbled back, almost falling flat on his butt.

Rushing back to his guard post, he scuffled through the messy bag of gears, and just when he grabbed his radio, the blade sliced the gate in half with one clean strike, like it was made of peanut butter.

"H-Hello?! It's me, calling from the garage gate! Someone's trying-!"

The guard post's wall came crumbling down with a loud bang. A woman in a jumpsuit emerged out of the newly created hole on the wall, followed by two maids. He reached for his baton, but stopped when he saw the huge blade she was holding.

"Stay where you are." The woman said, in an authoritative voice, "Don't try to fight me. It won't end well for you."

"A-Alright!" The man screamed, before raising his hands into the air.

Bright light suddenly enveloped one of the maids, and her frilly dress dissolved into a bunch of pixels. It was soon replaced by a jumpsuit, one that was quite similar to the sword-wielding woman's.

"Wait, is that…?" He muttered, "The CPU of Planeptune...?"

"Ughh!" The other maid groaned at the sight. "You and Nep are so lucky! I can't change back to my usual dress!"

"It's not that hard to change your clothes like a normal human being," Purple Heart chuckled.

"Whatever! Can I have little cubey so I can change back?"

"Using little cubey for such a trivial matter?" She raised her eyebrows, "I'm not expecting that from a hard-working, no-nonsense CPU like you."

"S-Shut up! Nep!" Noire winced, "Fine, I'll just go find a changing room, once we get out of here..."

"So, what are we gonna do with that man?" Purple Heart pointed.

"Just leave him be," Nakayama said, "We'd be long gone when he ran to his boss."

Noire gave her an incredulous look. "Are you sure? Don't you think we should be more careful? Maybe tie him up?"

"We are CPUs, after all," Nakayama shrugged, "I doubt his reinforcement can catch up to our flying speed."

"W-Wait...You girls are CPUs...?"

"Bingo." Purple Heart sighed, "Takes you awhile to notice."

"But which nation are you from?" He frowned, "You don't look like that unidentified CPU of…Lastation that they are after."

"Nep, hand me little cubey," Noire smirked, "Let me show this man who's the CPU of Lastation."

"No," Purple Heart shook her head, "I think you are letting your pride get to your head."

"What?! Come on—!"

"Guys, cut it out." Nakayama stepped between them, "We need to get out of here, before Sylvania and her goons come back."

"Alright," Purple Heart nodded, "Let's get out of here."

Noire climbed onto Purple Heart's back, and the trio took off into the air, leaving the man to stare blankly at the sky. Seconds later, squadrons of guards rushed out of the broken gate, and surrounded the guard post.

"Lady APh?" The man turned to face the head maid.

"The damaged gate..." She said in a serious voice. "Where are the intruders?"

"Milady! They're no simple intruders!"

"I know. Where's Nakayama?"

"They've gotten away, I'm afraid. Nakayama and…another girl in a maid dress, and this other CPU..."

"Other CPU?" APh scowled, "You mean, that CPU of Lastation?"

"No, Lady APh..." He shook his head. "_All_ of them are CPUs."

"Nakayama is freed by these CPUs?" APh leaned forward. "How did the CPU of Planeptune ally herself with two other foreign powers without our knowledge?"

"I can't remember any CPUs who look like them. They are...different."

"Whatever." She scoffed, "Go write down your witness testimony. I'll go inform Lady Sylvania."

"Yes, Lady APh!"

The man slinked back into the garage, while APh and her guards began to examine the broken gate and wall. Just as she was glancing at the bricks, she remembered something that the man had said, and turned back to the few maids besides her, frowning.

"Oh. Ue and Hataraki..."

* * *

"It's nice having you here, milady."

"Indeed, it is~."

Sylvania sat down on the fancy couch and smiled at the female captain, who poured a cup of drink and handed it over to her.

"Ever since the guards notified me of your arrival, I've been preparing for your formal visit. We could've prepared another treat for the CPU Candidate, but she's quite busy right now, isn't she?"

"True, CBS. My sister is helping to raise the prestige of the nation through her hard work."

"I guess everything is running smoothly, then." CBS said, "Ever since that recent battle, I've been cracking down on surveillance and security measures."

"Thank you for your diligence. I do have another task for you, though."

Sylvania reached into her briefcase, grabbed a folder, and handed it to CBS. The first page had a picture of two unfamiliar girls on it.

"I've captured the CPU of Planeptune, by the way. She has made a really...idiotic decision."

"Wait, what?" CBS frowned, "You really did, Lady Sylvania?"

"Uh, yeah?" She shrugged, "Those two girls in the picture—I want you to find them, and bring them to me."

"If I may ask, what...threats do this kid and teenager pose to Intellastion?"

"They're no ordinary girls, CBS. Just find them, before they get out of this nation. Send your guys to patrol all docks and roads, for good measure."

"Are they assisting the CPU of Planeptune?"

"No. It's _more_ than that."

"Alright then, Lady Sylvania," CBS sighed, and picked up the glasses, "I shall start drafting a news announcement right away."

Before she could take her leave, the telephone on her desk started ringing. Letting out a small sigh, she picked up the speaker.

"Hello, this is CBS."

…

"Huh..." CBS was staring at Sylvania, like she had something funny on her face.

"What's up?"

"Lady Sylvania," CBS turned away from the phone, "It's a call from one of your maids."

"My maids?"

Sylvania stood up, rushed towards the table, and grabbed the speaker. A familiar voice came out from the other side.

"Lady Sylvania," APh said, "I apologize for interrupting your meeting—"

"Get to the point. Is it something urgent?"

"Okay," she sighed. "Your home was infiltrated by a few CPUs disguised as maids. They also freed Nakayama from her chains."

"W-Wait, wait..." Sylvania frowned, "_A few_ CPUs?"

"I didn't believe it either when I first heard it, milady..."

"How so? I never knew Nakayama has been allying with different powers behind the scene! How did she do it without the knowledge of our intel agents?!"

"I'm not too sure either. But I think they might be the girls you are after."

"What?"

"According to one of our guards, their appearances are...entirely unfamiliar, but the girl who accompanied Nakayama has black twintails, and said something about being the CPU of Lastation? "

"Oh..." Sylvania clenched her fists. "Those idiots..."

"U-Uh? Lady Sylvania?" CBS gave her a concerned look.

"My apology," She set her cup down on the table, "I need to go take care of some freaks."

"Uh, let one of my drivers take you back home then, Lady-"

CBS was interrupted by the bright light of Sylvania's transformation. When she was done, her expression was one of sheer indignation and disdain.

"No," Grey Heart answered, "I'll fly myself there."

* * *

Noire had her arms wrapped around Purple Heart's neck, as the two Goddesses flew towards the horizon, going further and further away from the city.

"The moment we flew past the border, I'll lead you to Balarch!" Lilac Heart called out from behind them.

"Good-"

A bolt of lightning zapped past them, and the trio could feel the searing heat in the air, as they glanced back at the fast-approaching pursuer.

"You're not going anywhere!" Grey Heart shrieked.

"Darn, it's her again..."

The twin crystals, fully charged, fired multiple beams in succession. Purple Heart and Lilac Heart dodged in two directions, but the linear shots soon became a barrage of explosive orbs, homing in after them.

"Dang, she's really persistent!" Noire complained, "All for our Hypercube..."

"You know how important it is. Don't underestimate its allure."

"I'm not!"

They could see the ocean below them, and Nakayama was now leading the way. Despite their best efforts to dodge through the attacks, the sheer number of explosive orbs still caused some to explode at a dangerously close distance.

"Argh-!" Purple Heart gasped, as a projectile grazed past her arm, "We have to fight her again! She won't give up until we're all dead."

"Fighting? While I'm still on your back, Nep?" Noire winced, "What if I fall off?"

"Stay back, guys." Lilac Heart said, "I'll be dealing with her."

"Wha-? What are you doing?"

"Just go on without me. I'll catch up with you later."

"Wait! Nakayama!"

Before they could reach out and grab her, Lilac Heart soared into the air, and dived towards her opponent. She rammed straight into Grey Heart's side, and together, they fell towards the water. Seconds later, Purple Heart turned and chased after her.

"N-Nep?!"

"We've brought her all the way here, we can't leave her behind!"

The two CPUs were free-falling now, their wings entangled together in a blur as they grappled with each other. Lilac Heart grabbed Grey Heart's hair, and started tugging at it, despite being jabbed repeatedly by her hovering twin crystals.

"Get—off—me! You idiot!"

"No way!"

"Hang on, Nakayama!"

Purple Heart whizzed through the air, and gripped Lilac Heart's wrist, but her opponent was not letting go. Just as their combined weight was pulling her closer and closer towards the water, Purple Heart raised her free hand.

"N-Nep? What are you doing?!" Noire's eyes widened at the sight of the Hypercube.

"Ugh..." Lilac Heart yelled, "Just let go, Neptune!"

"Little cubey...please get us out of here."

"What the heck are you doing?!"

At her command, the Hypercube began to glow brighter and brighter, until it erupted in a blinding flash of light. A moment later, when Grey Heart opened her eyes, there was nothing but empty air in her hands.

"W-What? Where are they—?!"

Her shriek was interrupted by a loud splash, as she fell into the water.

* * *

Empty bullet casings littered the underground tunnel. Beyond the bullet-ridden walls lay multiple ruined turrets, with smoke coming out of their barrels and pieces of metal crumbing off them. Standing in the midst of this chaos was Linda, using her pipe as a crutch. A rat was lying besides her feet, panting in relief.

"Congrats, Linda girl!" Duchess's voice came out of the speaker, "You managed to-"

"Shut the hell up, you bastard!" Linda screamed, "You'd be trying to kill us with the next level again! So spare the pleasantry already!"

"Woah, take it easy! I just wanna cheer you up after beating this level, while dragging your little baggage—I mean, friend—behind you. It must be tough."

"Ugh..." She groaned, "Whatever! Just get it over with!"

"Oooh~!" Duchess cooed, "I know you're really really gonna like the next one!"

"Because Erich has finally come up with the perfect murder plan?"

"No no no, I swear you're gonna _love_ this one!" Duchess said, "Don't worry, Erich hasn't done anything to that level."

"But I'm tired, chu..."

"You weren't tired when you charged out there like an idiot, after hearing her stupid speech!"

The gate in front of them slid open, revealing an empty, featureless room. Step by step, Linda made her way inside, followed by her rat companion. As the gate slammed shut behind them, a loud thump echoed through the air. Linda gripped her pipe tighter, glancing around the space warily.

"Alright..." She muttered, "What is it gonna be, huh?"

"Give me a break already, chu..."

A loud clanking came from below the floor. Suddenly, the entire platform started moving up at a breathtaking speed, and Warechu let out a shrill screech when he saw no opening on the metal ceiling above.

"I-Is this level just us being squashed to death?!"

"Ain't even trying to hide it now, are you—" Linda's accusation was interrupted by a low beeping sound. "W-What the...? The ceiling's opening?"

The giant panels swung up, creating an opening that the elevator whizzed through. Above them was a huge, empty space, illuminated only by a chain of light bulbs dangling down from the steel frames around the stone wall.

Linda held up her iron pipe, expecting some kind of alien monstrosities to fall onto the elevator platform at any second. There was no way Duchess and her pals would make it easy for her.

After several minutes of silence, however, nothing had happened, except that the elevator's speed had slowed down to a crawl. With a huff, Linda lay down her pipe. The Duchess didn't say anything to them yet—maybe this wasn't a level at all?

"What the hell...?" Linda groaned, "Did they forget to set up the traps or what?"

"Not sure, chu," Warechu shrugged, "At least I have time to relax while this chump's going up."

"Ugh. This is just like one of those crappy unskippable cutscenes, minus the plot-advancing conversation!"

The ceiling above them finally opened again. Linda stood back up, her pipe in hand. _This must be it._

The first thing they saw, after stepping off the elevator, was Duchess and the rest of the A-Squad, standing around them in a circle. Linda just stared at them blankly, before she started speaking again.

"Oh, I see..." She growled, "Let me guess, this next level is about dueling one of you?"

"What?" Ranger shook her head, "No."

"Are you all gonna gang up on me, then?" Linda swung her pipe over her shoulder.

"U-Uh, of course not..."

"Gah!" Erich groaned, and shoved Gordea aside. "As much as I want to beat you up, nein! Zat's not it!"

"Huh?" Linda frowned, "So what the hell is this level about?"

"Chillax, Linda, you're being paranoid," Duchess wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "There ain't no final level. You don't get to save a princess or anything."

"What do you mean, chu?"

"Isn't it obvious? You two passed the test, duh! After surviving all these nasty traps, I think you deserve a good break at the end!"

"W-Wait..." Linda scowled, "There are only 3 levels in your stupid test? I thought you could fit like, a hundred levels into this _huge _underground base?!"

"Well, I and Erich were debating if we should add more. We reached an agreement, though—"

"I have seen enough," Erich huffed. "I get it. You aren't gonna be completely useless against our foes. And, for an idiot delinquent, you are pretty tough and resourceful."

"Yeah..." Linda glared in Erich's direction, as Gordea handed a roll of bandage to her. "Like I need your compliment or anything."

"What do you need, then? A proper beating?"

"C'mon guys, we're going to start another fight? Right after the test?" Duchess sighed, and stepped between them, "Just light up, both of you."

"I'm not angry," Erich muttered, "Just having a bad day..."

"Sure. Watching me survive all these murder attempts must be _sooo_ tiring." Linda rolled her eyes.

"A-Anyway," Gordea said, "Congratulations, Linda and Warechu, for beating A-Squad's true entry test. Since Erich is impressed by your performance, she decides to make a vote of approval in the end."

"We're happy to welcome you into the squad," Ranger added, "Now you are really aboard the money cruise!"

"Finally, chu!" Warechu cheered. "We did it, Linda! Time for us to become the richest duo in Gamindustri, chu!"

"Just shut up, Warechu." Linda sighed, and sat down on the floor, "I only did this because you and Duchess wouldn't stop pestering me."

"C'mon, I'm sure you'll love your time in our ragtag team," Duchess chuckled. "Now, how 'bout we go grab some fresh drinks from the lounge? Let's go, girls!"

"A bottle of drink won't hurt, I guess." Linda muttered, as the party departed from the room.

* * *

"Phew!" Duchess fell face-down onto the couch, "Here be my favorite drinks in town!"

Ranger walked past her, carrying a giant ice box, filled to the brim with soda, beer and juice bottles. For some reason, there was a lazily drawn nuclear logo plastered over every single bottle. Gordea grabbed some orange juice, while Ranger and Erich went straight for the beer. Linda and Warechu hesitated for a while, before settling on the sodas.

"The hell are these stupid drawings?"

"Oh, that? One of the new drinks in town! I call them _Atomic Health_."

"Really?" Linda groaned, "It looks so stupid. I don't think that's how you create a new brand."

"Pssh," Duchess snorted, "The touch of Duchess can make anything special."

"Yeah, whatever." Linda popped the lid open, "If you really like that stupid scribble so much, go buy these drink-making companies, and change their brand logos yourself."

"Hmm, good idea..."

While Duchess was absorbed in thought, Linda chugged down the drink. It had a faint sweet texture that was almost drowned out by the chill.

"How was it? Linda?"

"Eh, not my type. But it's cool enough."

Linda shifted her sight to Erich. She made a low, vicious growl when she saw Linda's stare, before tossing the empty beer bottle into the nearest trash can, and grabbing another one from the box.

"Hey, Duchess."

"Mmh? What's up?"

"Are you sure Erich is...fine with me joining the squad now?" Linda asks, "She isn't planning to ditch me in the midst of the heist or anything?"

"Heh, don't worry about it," Duchess chuckled, "Erich is this… disgruntled psycho, sure, but she's still a fair person at heart. You should be happy that she lets you in!"

"Wait," Ranger turned to them, "Where's Flynn? Should we leave some drinks for her?"

"Sure," Duchess gave her a thumbs-up, "I'll let her know about it."

"Oh yeah," Warechu shuddered a little, "Flynn, chu...you sure she's coming to this party at all?"

"Eh, I'm not 100% sure. It's not like she hates partying, but she might just skip it for more important things."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, probably some personal stuff that I don't care about."

Right at this moment, the door was pushed open, revealing Flynn's nun cowl and expressionless face.

"Ah, Flynn!" Duchess waved at her, smiling, "You missed half the party!"

"Great timing, Flynn," Ranger reached into the ice box, "I was about to-"

"No thanks," She shook her head, "I still have something to do."

Flynn was still holding on to her rabbit doll with one arm, while carrying a giant bag over her shoulder. Linda scowled at the sight.

"What's so special about that stupid toy?"

She hugged the doll even tighter. "Mind your own business."

"W-Well, you couldn't miss this one out, Flynn," Gordea said, "Linda and Warechu finally passed their test! Now they'll help out in our heist, too!"

"And Erich just...?"

"Ze pair has proven themselves to me." Erich huffed, and looked away.

"You still don't like them."

"Ja, I know! I still hate zat copycat, but Duchess pressured me to let her into ze squad. Just like how she did with you guys."

"What?"

"Hehe, you're welcome." Duchess stuck her tongue out.

"Great. Guess I'm not the only one tricked by her."

"To be honest, you two would have gone through more levels," Ranger said, "Duchess had done a lot of preparation, even though some of her levels were a bit absurd. Erich's little stunt kinda ruined her fun."

"Of course," Duchess sighed, and slumped onto the couch.

"You should've watched the whole thing, Flynn. They've done a great job."

"I don't care."

"...Okay?" Ranger frowned, "I'll leave the extra drink in the fridge. Help yourself out, if you wanna come back later."

Without a word, Flynn moved towards the cabinets, oblivious to Linda's blank stares. She opened the cabinet doors one by one, before reaching into the last one, and whipping out a giant chainsaw.

There were dark stains all over its sharp metal sawtooths. Warechu let out a whimper when Flynn made a small swing with the weapon towards their general direction, and immediately cowered behind Linda. Even her squad mates put down their drinks, and turned to face the nun in unison.

"I-I thought you'd left that thing at home?" Ranger was the first to talk.

"It's an extra measure. Just in case." She gave Warechu a _look_, even though her voice was calm as ever.

"Jeez! How many times do I have to tell you?" Linda jabbed a finger at her, "Warechu isn't a goddamn demon!"

"Whatever."

Flynn turned away and walked out of the room, barely shoving her giant chainsaw through the narrow doorframe. For a moment, everyone in the room just stared at the exit, dumfounded.

"We _really_ need to tell Flynn not to take her chainsaw wherever she goes. That thing is covered in blood!"

"Ze hell has she been using zat for? Chopping dinner?" Erich scowled, before chugging down another bottle of beer.

"I'd rather not think too much about it."

"Me too, chu..." Warechu took a deep breath, "Why does she keep seeing me as this demon, chu...?"

"I don't know what the hell's wrong with her, either," Linda shrugged, "But you need to keep an eye on that punk, Duch'."

"Will do. But don't ya' think she's just bad at making jokes? Not everyone has my wonderful sense of humor, y'know. Some people are born awkward."

"Yeah, sure..."

"Right now," Duchess reached under the nearest table, and pulled out a box, "While we are enjoying our drinks, I get some cassettes! Let's put that sweet CRT television to some good use!"

"Alright, sweet!" Ranger smiled, "I'll go get the popcorn."

"Good! Now, what should we watch...?"

* * *

Duchess was out cold on the couch, still gripping a half-empty beer bottle in her hand. Everyone else had already left. Only Linda and Warechu remained in the middle of the mess, picking up the empty bottles and popcorn wraps and putting them into the bin.

"Damn that punk..." Linda cursed, "Why can't Erich clean up her own messes?"

"On the bright side, we passed the test, chu?"

"Exactly! You've won the grand prize, and started partying with your friends, until they just went, 'oh, by the way, you are on trash duty'. Yeah, isn't that nice?!"

"Well, if you put it that way..."

Warechu's ears perked up at the faint sound of footsteps, coming from the corridor outside. He tugged at Linda's clothes, earning an irritated glance from her.

"Ugh, what?"

"There's someone out there, chu..." He pointed to the half-open door.

"Bah. It's probably just Erich."

With that said, Linda still put down her broom, and peeked out from behind the door, just in time to see the back of a shadowy figure.

"Eh?" She muttered to herself, "Flynn? She's carrying another bag now?"

Flynn soon vanished into the darkness beyond, after looking back for a few times. When Warechu got to the door, she was nowhere to be seen.

"What is it, chu?"

"It's Flynn. We should follow her."

"What?! Haven't you heard her _threats_? S-She'd turn us into mincemeat if we got caught!"

"We won't get caught," Linda said, before tiptoeing out of the room, "It's 'bout time we found out what she's up to..."

Together, they sneaked their way towards Flynn, trying their damnedest not to make a single sound. Warechu almost managed to slink away, before Linda pinched him on the tail and dragged him back. They ducked down once again as Flynn stopped in front of a rusty door, and started glancing around with a wary look on her face. Finally, after one last check, she put down her bag. With a creak from the lever, the door swung open.

"Hmm..." Flynn scoffed, before lifting up the bag, and slamming the door shut behind her.

"So that's where you're heading..." Linda muttered, as she walked up to the door, and started pulling on the rusty lever, "Damn, this thing's jammed! How did she open it so easily?"

"Linda, we have to go, chu..." Warechu pleaded, "I have a really, really bad feeling about this..."

"I don't! Just help me pull this piece of junk open!"

"Augh!" The rat slapped his paw against his forehead, and joined Linda. It took several pulls before the lever made another creak, and the door opened again. Warechu jerked at the loud noise, while Linda's look was one of sheer disbelief, as she saw what was behind the door.

"Huh?!" She groaned, "Stairs?! You gotta' be kidding me!"

* * *

By the time they saw the faint light coming out of the broken windows, covered with overgrown vines and ferns, the pair was on the verge of collapse. They must've been climbing these stairs for hours.

"What the hell..." Linda sat down at the end of the staircase, panting. "How? How does she climb these bloody stairs every day?"

"I can't feel my legs..." Warechu whined, "I haven't gotten a good break since finishing the test, chu..."

"Ugh, fine," Linda gestured to him, "Just climb onto my back, then."

With her rat companion holding onto her shoulders, Linda began to rummage through the ruined wooden planks and furniture, scattered all around the small house. Flynn was nowhere to be found, however.

"The hell she's been doing around here?"

"Look, chu!" Warechu pointed behind them, "That door's left opened."

"That's gotta be it."

Linda peeked out of the glass panel on the door. There was more vegetation outside, albeit tainted by a lifeless, sickly greyness. Flynn was not outside, either, and after sparing a few more glances at the dark, claw-like branches of the trees, Linda kicked the door open.

"I wonder if Duchess knew about this exit."

"Maybe that chump, Erich, would know something, chu?"

"Bah! Like hell I'm gonna go ask that wannabe..."

Following the trail of dirt, they ventured deeper into the forest. The afternoon sun was still glowing, but the dark, sinister layer of overgrown branches, gnarly roots and withered, greying leaves had filtered out most of the light. Linda drew her iron pipe, frowning.

"I-I told you not to go after her, chu..."

"How the hell do I know?" Linda retorted, "What kind of nun just vanishes into the depth of some creepy forest every day? She must be hiding _something_..."

Through the crack between the bushes, Linda saw something. As she pried the vegetation aside with her pipe, an old church appeared in her vision. The white paint on its exterior had decayed to a smoky black color, and a thick blanket of vines was draping down from the crumbing roof.

It was impossible to tell the Goddess that used to be worshipped in this church, just by squinting at the remnants of the shattered rose windows. The sun had entirely vanished behind the clouds at this point, and a faint mist was rising up around the building.

"She's no nun...She's a witch..." Warechu mumbled, "Let's get out of here, before she...sacrifices us in some freaky blood rituals!"

"Look, even her teammates don't know what she has been doing." Linda said, "If she's really practicing some witchcraft, then I'll go tell everyone else."

"W-Wait!"

Linda rushed out of the bushes, through the dry, cracking field. Warechu clutched her hoodie even tighter when he saw the small graveyard behind the church, the bone-white tombstones standing out starkly against the grey earth.

The door, to Linda's surprise, was not locked, and opened with a single shove. The massive hall was shrouded in darkness, only illuminated by the light shining through the cracks on the roof. Instead of bizarre potions, spices and whatever arcane ritual objects they were expecting to see, the narrow passages between the rows of rotting chairs were packed to the brim with guns. Ammunitions were littered all across the floor with no organization nor rhythm, and Linda nearly tripped over a bunch of clips in the dim light.

They wandered further into the hall, noses twitching at the dust in the air. Finally, they stopped in front of what seemed to be an altar table. A shotgun with a necklace wrapped around its grip, and Flynn's rabbit plushie were lying on the decaying wooden surface.

"This is the same shotgun we gave back to her," Linda looked down at the table, "She lives in this garbage dump of a place?"

"Look, chu," Warechu pointed over her shoulder, "There's a photo frame behind that doll."

Linda shoved the doll aside, and picked up the frame. The photo's colors were fading, tainted a dirty yellow hue. Even when they were almost pressing the photo against their eyes, squinting, they could only make out the blurry outlines of two nuns, standing besides several younger nuns, who were clustered together in a hug.

The white building in the background was a church. No, it was...the exact same church they were now standing in, judging by the shape of the roof, only pristine and undecayed.

"What the hell is going on here...?" Linda put the photo frame down, frowning, "When was this picture taken?"

A loud creak came from behind them. Linda turned back, and Flynn was standing at the gate, her shotgun out and ready. Her eyes seemed to be glowing in the shadow, sending a shiver up Linda's spine with their unmoving, cold glare.

"...What are you doing here?"

"W-Wait! We can explain-!"

The wooden chairs besides them exploded in a burst of splinters, as Flynn fired her shotgun in their direction. After reloading her shotgun, the nun walked towards the pair, slowly but steadily, her eyes glimmering with a frigid bloodlust.

"I won't say it again. What. Are. You. Two. Doing. _Here_?"

* * *

_**Author's Notes**_

_CBS_ represented the distributor of Colecovision,** CBS Electronics** _(1927-2020)_

**u/Ryin_silverfish —** Proofreader & Editor


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